A Few Good Years To Be Alive
by Visions of Paradise
Summary: COMPLETE!One night while looting a ship, Jaden meets up w Jack and she has something he wants. It leads to treasure & an amulet of invincibility. But there's 2 catches: 1:they only have 7 days and 2: They're not the only ones looking for it.
1. Man on Deck!

Jaden looked around on the dimly lit ship, grabbing the occasional piece of jewelry or valuable trinket and stuffing it in her brown sack. She held her sword closely by her side incase her presence was discovered. She took another glance around and noticed a small metal box on the dresser.

"Rich pig." She muttered lowly to herself as she thought of the rich snob she saw get off the boat. It made her angry that rich people could sit back and live off of others lives and have enough money to burn. Without any regrets, she took her hand and placed it ontop of the box about to load it in the sack. But, it wouldn't budge.

She looked back at the box and saw the hand ontop of it, and the pair of eyes staring back at her. They seemed to be blackened by unearthly make-up that made him look focussed, and yet, completely demented. Jaden's heart stopped for a second before it began racing faster. She noticed the dread locks and he looked as though he hadn't showered in a few days.

Right away she could tell, he wasn't wealthy.

She reached her hand back and pulled out her sword and at the same time, he did so as well. Jaden made a clean swipe for his neck but missed, meeting up with his blade instead. They stood back from the box looking each other in the eyes in the dark merely lit by a dimmed and dying candle.

"Who are you, and who gave you permisssion to steal my about-to-be-stolen things?" The man spoke softly not wanting to give either of them away.

"I am who I am, and that's all you need to know." Quickly she made a leap towards him making him take a step back and she grabbed the box leaning on the desk. She turned for a second running out the door, but before she made it Jack bent over and snatched the rug out from under her. She fell backwards and the bag was launched into the air. The man ran and caught the bag quickly moving out the door and onto the dock. Jaden ran behind him sword back in it's holster.

"Come back, you tights-wearing ninny!" They jumped over barrels and ran around people carrying luggage. Jaden reached her pinky to her lips and whistled loudly. The man looked back puzzled about what she was doing as he ran head on into a brick wall and fell down.

"Fancy that. A wall." His head fell back against the ground. A sword met up with his neck. On the other side of it stood a woman with raven black hair with firey red streaks throughout it. She moved the sword closer as she picked up the bag.

"This is where the joy-ride ends, Mr. Sparrow." Jaden caught up with the two and leaned over panting.

"And who might you be?" Jack looked up at the woman without moving any other piece of his body.

"I'm Megan. Ms. Collins to you." She pressed the blade further against his throat. Megan put her sword away and helped Jack up. She took his sword out of his hand and he took a few steps back.

"I must've hit you awefully hard, maybe I should extend you to a drink." With that, Megan pulled a bottle out of her pocket and handed it to him. He looked at it in the plam of his hand and gulped it down. "There's plenty more at the pub we're going to." Megan pointed her finger down the street. Jack swayed a little backwards as he stepped forward.

"Who's trying to pull my hat?" Jack eyed Jaden and Megan suspiciously as they looked at each other.

"Don't you mean 'leg'?" Jaden asked.

"I know what I said, and I said what I meant!" Jack declared loudly. He pondered a moment about what he just said and shrugged it off. "Don't you think you're being a bit odd? I mean- your friend just chased me and stole something of mine, and you have my sword. A little weird don't you think?" Jack stood proud of his logic while Jaden clenched a fist.

"How dare you insinuate that I stole something!" Jack smiled a little

"Well, the bag in your friend's hand is technically not your property, because it wasn't yours to begin with. But because it was in my possession last, I really think I ought to be in charge of it. Now, give it back." Jack extended his hand.

"Tempting offer Mr. Sparrow, but, I'll give it back on one condition: you join us for a drink or two." Megan put the bag behind her back and Jaden began to walk down the street, adjusting her brown and gold streaked hair on the way. Jack began walking that way as well, following in her footsteps and Megan went behind Jack, raised the sword above Jack's head and in one swift motion

... knocked him unconcious.

Jaden stood in disbelief at Megan "We didn't even know who he was." Jaden said as they began walking. Megan dropped the sword by Jack and put another small bottle by him and caught up with Jaden.

"What do you mean 'We'? I knew who he was the entire time." Megan adjusted her bandana.

"Well?" Jaden began to get frustrated, "Who was he?" Megan sighed.

"Jack Sparrow. Captain of the Black Pearl. Rumor has it, he's looking for some kind of treasure now, but no one knows what."

Jaden thought for a second, "You know, I think Jack's kind of cute."

Megan turned and pulled her sword out and pointed it at Jaden's chest. "Are you nuts? I think I should kill you now before you get us killed later." Megan moved the sword a little back.

"Ok, ok. It was just a thought. Anyways, we need to get going to the pub." They walked for a little while in complete silence until Jaden started to giggle. "Remember last time we left her?"

Megan laughed and smiled "Oh no..." Jaden laughed and almost fell over.

"By the end of the night and 10 bottles of rum later, she thought she was the pope!"

Jaden and Megan approached the doors and pushed them open. On the bar, there was a bronze skinned girl with a piece of paper folded into a hat ontop of her head. She was wearing a pheasent blouse and black pants. The white of the shirt emphasized her black, brown, and blonde hair. She was holding a bottle of rum singing something while bluthering out words. Megan dropped the sack and Jaden's jaw dropped open.

"Please tell me, that's not who I think it is..." Megan pointed at her and the girl stood up on the bar. Megan picked up the bag and ran to the bar grabbing the girl.

"Shavai! What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Shavai raised a finger to her eye.

"I'm not drunk you think as as I am." Megan slapped her.

"Look the only one allowed to be drunk anytime they damn well please is me. Who gave you permission to drink anyway!?" Megan ran over her sentence in her head.

"Step outside. I'll kick my ass." Shavai wobbled from side-to-side before falling over in Megan's arms.

"Hi, mommy." Megan stared at Shavai strangely and dropped her. Jaden looked suprised. Megan shrugged and took a seat at the table with Jaden.

"She's completely hopeless." Jaden and Megan took a deep breath and exhaled.

"I'm not paying the bill..." Jaden spoke softly as suddenly Shavai let out a loud snore. She then thought to herself _"Jack Sparrow...What a wonderful name..." _


	2. Battle For the Bag

A Few Good Years To Be Alive  
  
Megan poured the rum out of the glass and onto Shavai's face, while she was unconcious on the floor. Immediately she stood up with her arms flailing screaming "My eyes are burning! My eyes!" She ran back and forth, by luck, missing all the tables. All the men and women alike, stared at her as she ran around. Everyone stopped drinking just to stare at her. Jaden and Megan sat back and wanted to sink into their seats. Megan pulled her bandana over her face. "Oh, Lord. For her own safety, shut her up..." Megan prayed in a whisper. Jaden just stared like everyone else "Megan, if she doesn't shut up, she's going to get us more attention than we need right now." Megan shook her head and pulled her leg out in the aisle. Shavai fell face forward onto the ground and rolled over grasping her nose. "Owies..." she said seeing the ceiling. "Oh, look at all the pretty lights." Shavai got up and looked around at all the prying eyes. "What the hell are you looking at? Mind your own business!" Shavai held onto her sword and sat down by Jaden.  
But while the girls chatted on, an old friend walked through the door silently. Jack walked quietly by the sides of the room to be sure he wouldn't be noticed. Quickly, he walked by the girls, and leaned down and made an attempt to grab the bag. Shavai grabbed his wrist "And, who might you be?" Jack looked at her and she stared back for a second before Megan looked down and grabbef her sword "That's it! I've had enough, off with his head!" Jack's eyes opened wide, realizing he was trapped. He looked around for a second as everyone else in the place went on with their business. Jack thought quickly, "Wait! Do you know who I am?" Megan looked uninterested "I know, and it won't matter in a moment." Jaden sat back in her chair sipping her rum, contemplating what she should be doing. Jack gave out a dissappointed sigh "Oh," He thought for a moment more "FIRE!" He yelled out. As soon as he did, all hell broke loose.  
Women were screaming, men were getting into fights about who bumped into who, others were stealing drinks. Suddenly, a running woman ran in- between Megan and Jack and knocked Megan backwards into a table. "What the- Son of a bit-" Before she finished she kicked the woman forward. Jack took the oppertunity to grab the bag and high-tail it out of there. Jaden took a dagger out from the side of her boot, and threw it so it went through the bag and into the floor. Jack stopped by the bag to try to get it off the dagger, he finally came to his senses and took the bag in a firm grip and ripped it through the dagger and left it there. Jaden ran and held her sword out again. "Why do you want my bag, anyway. Jack?" She smirked saying his name. Jack looked suprised. He grinned and pulled out his sword. They turned and clashed swords using their muscles to see who could over power the other. Jaden used one foot pushing forward with both both her hands, unlike Jack who only used his hands. "You have have something I want." Jack simply stated as he jumped backward dodging the sharp blade. Jaden's sword went on the ground as she regained her balance. Jaden looked over to Megan as she continued to beat the heck out of the woman that shuved her earlier. Then she looked to Shavai who was back at the bar drinking rum.  
Jack turned for a second to see what she was looking at, and Jaden went back and pulled out her pistol. and cocked it. Jack dropped his sword. "Now, tell me what you want from the bag and why you need it." 


	3. Getting Jack to Talk

A Few Good Years To Be Alive Chapter 3, Getting Jack to Talk  
  
~Just a quick note to people about this story. Number 1: I love Johnny Depp, sorta obvious there. Secondly, Megan and Shavai are my two best friends I see basically every single day.They also really act like they are in the story, except Megan's funnier than she is in the story. Which you'll see later on.  
... And that's about for the moment.~  
  
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"Why should I believe you'll pull that trigger? You're a woman." Jack took a step closer. "Besides, put the gun down and I'll like you a little bit more." Jaden took a step back as her heart speeded up a bit hearing Jack admit to liking her. Shavai looked back seeing Jaden step back as Jack stepped forward. Shavai whistled and got Megan's attention, who by then, took off the helpless woman's shoes and was hitting her repeatedly with them. Shavai rolled her eyes and mumbled "Bleedin' Hell..." then walked calmly over to Jaden and took the gun. Jack took a step back as Shavai put her rum on a near-by table. "What do you want? Is it that hard to understand?"  
Jack looked around. "Um...um, it's a present for my dear sick mother." Shavai aimed the gun at Jack's heart then tilted it up and shot his hat off. He immediatly reached up to make sure his face and hair were still intact. He put his hands up in a surrendering motion and walked backwards into the wall. "Okay. It's a belated wedding present for my sister, and because I wasn't at her wedding, I need a really, really good gift; if I don't give her one she's gonna kill me." Shavai smirked as she finished reloading the gun. "What a coincedence. Cause that's what we're gonna do if you don't tell us why you want the bag." Shavai shot the gun just under Jack's crotch, understandably, Jack panicked.  
"Fine, fine, fine." Jack moved and sat at a table. "Jaden, could you possibly get Megan to leave the woman with a little sense in her head?" Megan began to get tired of hitting the woman and was barely flicking the shoe at her. "You. Need. Some. Manners...get out of my face." With that Megan fell backwards, and the woman took the oppertunity to run away. Jaden looked at the woman's bloody nose and sighed as she looked down at Megan. "What have Shavai and I said about beating whores up?" Megan got up and rolled her eyes. "Never beat a whore without taking the wallet at some point during the beating." Jaden padded Megan's back.  
"Come on. We need to find something out from our old pal Mr. Sparrow." Jack felt a strong urge to correct her but then he shut himself up. "Jack, I've got a deal for you." Megan pulled out her pistol as she sat facing Jack on the back of a chair, one arm over her chest. "You tell us what you're doing here and I won't shoot you in the head. Deal?" Megan and Jack shook hands. "Good. We have an accord. Now, spill your guts or you'll see your brains spilled." Jack sighed and took a necklace that was around his neck. He held the oval half of gold at the end and spoke softly "This looks like plain-gold on a necklace, right?" All the girls shook their head, understandingly.  
"This is a map part. The other part is in that bag there." He motioned to the bag Jaden held tightly in a clenched fist on the table. Megan took a sip of her rum as Shavai lazily watched out of the corner of her eye as she stared into the bottom of her cup. "I want the other piece to connect them and find where they lead. Because, where they lead lies a treasure well worth the voyage. It's an amulet that gives invincibility to the wearer and it's accompanied by more treasure than you could fathom. Savvy?" Shavai smirked to Megan and Jaden who smiled back. Jaden rummaged through the bag and took out the metal box and gave it to Jack. "Thank you so much, love." With that he took out a small knife that looked to be holding a metal pin. Megan rolled her eyes and took out her pistol and shot the lock off. Jack immediatley fell backwards in the chair "Um, yes, or we could, well, we could do that." Megan smiled. "You're welcome."  
Jack searched through the box and made a lot of noise. He carefully looked around himself and made sure no one was insight. He placed the pieces together and they glowed brightly as they melted together to form one amulet. He pulled out a map and dropped the necklace onto the center of the map. It made a gold outline on the map of where to go. Quickly he drew over the line and put the necklace on and got up. "Gotta run, ladies."  
All three stood up and cocked their guns and aimed at him. "Are you feeling today's a good day to die?" Shavai spoke forcefully so he would know, they weren't kidding. "Alright. Alright. How would ladies like to accompany me to find this... this legendary treasure?" He glanced at Jaden and took her right hand "I would be, especially greatful, if you were to join me." With that he placed a lingering kisss on her hand. Jaden blushed. Megan gagged, and Shavai sighed saying whistfully "Aww...soon enough we're going to have to steal things for a baby too."  
The next morning, Jaden, Jack, Megan, and Shavai met at the port. "Well, good morning, ladies. First thing we need...A commondeared ship." Megan looked around and saw rugged men Wearing dirtier than normal clothes. The whiteness of their clothes had turned grey and displayed dirt stains. They had gold capped teeth with most of them rotting. Megan stared as they made their way to the port, directly behind them. They were being followed alright, question that remained was, who were they? Megan, Shavai, and Jaden stood on the dock waiting for Jack to return. "So... you gonna marry him, Jaden?" Shavai laughed as she thought about it. "Then you can have your own little nest with baby Sparrows." Jaden and Megan looked at each other and shook their heads at each other once before pushing her into the water below. Shavai rose to the surface comepletely drenched and hair matted down. "What'd I say?"  
  
To Be Continued....  
  
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Next up: When Jack returns, he brings a visitor who's going to help out. But the stranger is very depressed and is very sweet. And Shavai might has an eye for him, but, will she catch his? 


	4. Cut Away Details

A Few Good Years To Be Alive Chapter 4, Cut Away Details  
  
Shavai wringed out her bandana "That was no reason to push me in. It was just a bit of fun." She cut herself off as Megan and Jaden turned toward her with their eyebrows raised. "I dunno what on earth you're talking about." Megan began to whistle as she looked down at her nails and to the sky. "Oh really? Then how do you explain the time you left me in Tortuga with 3 gold coins, no sword, and completely alone? Or the time when you guys sent me out to run some errands and when I came back you were gone?" Jaden raised a finger "Hang on! When we left you at Tortuga, we didn't know you weren't with us and the second time we thought you were faster than that and we thought you were on the damn boat so don't you pull that on us!"  
"Uh huh." Shavai said unamused with her hands on her hips. "How do you explain me running on the dock screaming for you to wait and then my best buddy in the world, Megan, decided to shoot at me?!" Megan spoke in her own defence "What do you mean 'Shot at you'? I thought you were someone else that I owed money. Plus it was dark!" Shavai sighed "It was the morning and you were drunk, you blithering idiot!"  
Megan threw a hand behind her head smiling "Oh yeah! Heehee... Almost forgot about that part..." Shavai shook her head. "I'm sorry. Forgive me?" Megan gave Shavai a hug. "Yeah, ok. I forgive you." Shavai pushed Megan off the dock. Megan fell off arms flailing trying to grab the air as she screamed. It seemed to last forever to her. She completely submerged and swam back to the surface as she gasped for air. "Just wait till I get back up there, Missy!" Shavai glared at Jaden, as she stepped calmly towards her. "Now Shavai... you said you weren't going to do anything rash." Jaden continued moving back forgetting that she was on a dock and there were no walls to grab onto or be safe by. She continued moving back as Shavai promptly moved forward, and before either knew it, Jaden fell backwards into the water, taking Shavai down with her.  
Megan swam over to Shavai and began dunking her repeatedly and a match of who-could-dunk-who-more ensued. Megan grabbed Shavai's neck and wrestled her under while Jaden merely slunk to the shore and got out. Shavai caught on and swam to the shore and Megan pulled Shavai's foot pulling her backwards. They began making yet another competition out of it. They ran to the shore pushing, and pulling eachother down throwing sand at one another and pulling one another to the ground. When suddenly their laughter was interrupted by a rock falling beside them. They all looked up to meet Jack's eyes "I hope I didn't interrupt anything, but we do have things to do. You know, a little job we have to do with little time to do it in... not to add any pressure." Jaden felt embarrassed covered in sand. They all did, so they all ran back in the water and cleaned the sand off.  
They all ran back to the port that Jack stood waiting on with another man. The man wore an oversized hat that covered the top half of his face. The girls walked up to Jack as they all stumbled in a line. Jack looked at Megan's shirt, and began to laugh. "Nice... uh, nice shirt." He pointed to it and showed a piece of the sleeve to her "Yeah, uh, shirt." She looked down and realized it was white. She crossed her arms over her chest and turned red as a cherry. The man with the hat coughed into his hand to get them to realize he was there. They looked even more embarrassed now. Shavai took his hat off him and threw it off the dock. He looked angered and grabbed Shavai's arm "Why did you do that?!" Shavai got a little worried "It made you look....gentle-men friendly, if you get my meaning." Jaden looked to Megan and whispered "Hmm, big hat, big boots. Makes you think he's covering up for something." Megan thought for a second on the meaning and looked back understandingly "Euphnic?" Jaden shook her head in agreement. Jack smiled hearing the commentary.  
"So, Jack? Are we leaving or what?" Shavai, Jaden, and Megan turned around suprised. "Who the hell are you?!" They pulled out their swords and pointed them at a woman in her late teens with fairly dark blonde hair done half-way in dread locks with dark tanned skin. She looked uninterested and held a jug over her shoulder and her other hand on her hip. "Not now." She casually said as she pushed the swords aside. Jaden spoke up, "Oh, I don't think so. I think now is the perfect time." They pointed them back in her direction. She pulled her hand from her hip with her index and thumb finger extended and aimed at Megan. "Oh," She looked down and realized neither her gun nor sword were on her "Damn it all to hell. Alright. Fine. I'm Jack's sister if you really, really, dothley, truely, duely need to know." She took a sip from the jug and moved to Jack, glancing at Megan. "Aah, a color- blind one. Sweety, your shirt's white." Megan blushed heavily again. "I know!" She yelled back at her.  
"So...what's your name, handsome?" Shavai began messing with the other man's shirt running her finger over his chest. He stepped back uncomfortably "I'm Will. Will Turner." Shavai repeated the name silently to herself. "Well, I'm Shavai. Shavai Hopkins, Mr. Turner. And I'm a theif by trade, pirate for life." Megan and Jack almost gagged. "Ugh, anyway, I'm Jacinda. Jass for short." The woman introduced herself to Jaden and Megan. Megan mumbled "Sounds like a whore's name...perhaps we should rob her." Jass turned and grabbed Jack's gun out of it's holster and pointed it at Jack while she stared in Megan's direction. "I don't think you wanna be doin that." Jack ducked under her gun and moved to the outside of it before he turned it to Megan's direction. "Ah-ha! Found you."  
Jass fainted and fell off the dock dropping the gun at Jack's feet. Everyone stared into the water as she fell off. "Ah, she'll be alright." Jack stated as he looked down and saw her float back to the top. She gurgled the water as they all stared at her. "On second thought, maybe we should go get her." Everyone stood solemnly and stayed in their positions. "Fine, lets not all go at once." Jack started to walk off the other direction before Jaden yelled back to him "Hey! The water's that way!" She pointed down and looked annoyed. Jack simply looked back and smirked as he said "And get my clothes wet and have my sword rust? I think not. She may be my sister and I love her to death...but I don't love her that much." He continued walking down to the water.  
He picked up her jug from the shore and began to shake it. Jacinda moved quickly through the water hearing the familiar sounds. She looked up and grabbed it. Before they knew it, they were shipping off to sea. 


	5. Madame Yendel's Love Potion

Chapter 5: Madame Yendel's Love Potion

Jaden, Megan, and Shavai watched as Jack ordered the small crew around. They had a few minutes before the real owner of the ship would be coming back to claim it. So they had to move fast. They checked supplies and rations and made sure they had everything they needed. Everything was good. They knew where they were heading, what they were searching for and why, but, something felt funny. It was way too easy to just commondear a ship and have the owner not there and have no trouble. Something just didn't feel right.

Shavai looked around grimmly as she gulped down some more rum from her flask and just stared ahead. Megan stood arms crossed and glaring at everyone. Jaden stared at her shoes and occasionally looked around. It wasn't long before the silence was broken by Shavai "So, anybody have an idea of something to do while we wait?" All three of the girls started looking around before Megan pointed to a small shop on the corner not far from the dock. They all stared for a second until realizing it was a magic shoppe. The symbols at the corner of the sign indicated gypsies owned the shop and they'd been settled down for quite sometime. Jaden could only wonder, out of anyplace in the world, why here? They all huddled into the tiny store. Jack looked over curiously wondering what they were up to, but he quickly got his attention back to the man trying to ask him if the sails were on correctly.

Once they stepped inside, they noticed how nice and cozy it felt. It had been a while since they had an actual place they could call home. The air smelled like burning cinnamon and there were candles lit all around. The girls stared in wonder at the little hand made bracelets for good luck, and the packages of incense. There were vials everywhere that had strange mixtures in them. Books that taught magic potions and spells, and then there were the pink bottles, no bigger than a person's pinky that were a dark red shade and looked like they contained blood. Shavai couldn't help but notice the odd treasure and read the label aloud "Madame Yendel's Breuvage magique d'amour." Shavai was puzzled by what it meant, but decided to ask later as she put it in her pocket. "Good afternoon, ladies." A heavy French accent said from a corner of the room. It was clearly male and made the girls jump. A man about six feet tall overlooked the girls. He had drab clothes on that consisted mostly of dark reds and oranges and black. He wore a plain red bandana with a skull over it and an eyepatch on one eye. "You scared us, sir." Megan spoke out trying to be as polite as possible, even though something inside her told her to take the guy's head off. When he spoke, a cold chill went up her spine and made her think about who he was for a second. The man went by Megan and looked her in the eye "Humble apologies, Miss. Now, what can I do for you?" Megan thought inside her head 'Now, what you can do for us is take your eyepatch and shuve it up your-' Her thoughts were cut off by the man. "Going on an adventure of some sort?" He looked at Jaden and saw the gold chain around her neck and once he caught sight- it seemed her would let go of it. Shavai took some of the bracelets and put them into her pockets and continued to appear to browse. Jaden spoke up, "Why, yes, as a matter of fact we are. How did you know?" the man looked around for a second looking at Shavai as he answered back "Just a guess. Plenty of people takin' off for some kind of treasure in the middle of the ocean. A big joke to me, but I couldn't help but notice your necklace and that gave me a clue." It was silent for a second as he continued to stare at it with admiration "So, how much would you be willing to let it go for?" The girls all got a chill and decided it was about time to get going. Shavai walked by the counter at the store as Megan and Jaden made their way to the front door to make their exit.

"Come on, Shavai. They're going to leave without us." Jaden called back to Shavai who by then, was investigating a peculiar smell coming from behind the counter. As she got nearer the smell grew stronger and smelled like rotting meat. Shavai was way into it so she couldn't back out now until she knew what it was. She reached the counter and peaked over it. Lying on the ground was a corpse with a few rags for clothes on. Blood was everywhere. Her insides twisted and she felt like throwing up. She let out a blood curdling scream and Megan and Jaden ran back. They unsheathed their swords and held them out as they looked for the man who looked like he dissappeared. Shavai stopped screaming. Megan and Jaden looked to the corner of the room and saw the man holding a dagger to Shavai's throat and he had his other hand over her mouth. "Now, give me the necklace or your friend's gonna be seeing you guys again vertically from a six foot hole in the ground." His accent faded and his skin appeared to be melting off his face. He was decomposing right infront of their eyes.

MEANWHILE AT THE SHIP

"Will, would you go and find your ladies-in-waiting before we leave sometime this year?" Will gave Jack a menacing look and Jack shook his head "Alright then, you blouse wearing commondearing fairy." Jack stumbled off to the shop muttering obsceneties. He stumbled and tripped to the shop. "Alright, girlies. We haven't got all day. Come out now." Jack waited for an answer and after an entire minute passed he held his hand to his ear. "Are you in there or what?" He walked in pushing the door out of his way as he almost fell in "Fee fie foe... wrong words.... um.... uh.... ready or not here I come. I guess." He saw the girls standing off with the walking corpse. "Oh. Well, I can see you're all busy and that I'm just getting in the way, so I'm gonna go..."

To Be Continued....

Author's notes: Mwahahahahahaha, and I'm back. this chapter wasn't really meant to be funny, I try to fit a little bit of eveything in the elements of my stories and this happened to have a little horror, comedy, and a few deep thoughts lol. Anyway, I'm suffering from terrible writer's block with bad ideas, in the next chappy, we'll see if they do defeat the corpsie-guy and whether or not they're going to make the destination in time. It's all just a matter of time now, isn't it? But we all have to keep in mind that time is fleeting and no matter how we try to hold onto it, one mistake can mess up everything, and we can't get the moment back.


	6. Love Or Lust?

The creature held Shavai tightly. Seeing Jack on one side of him and two girls with their swords drawn on the other wasn't in very good favor of him. He backed against a wall. "Let me have the damned necklace! Or you'll see your friend's blood being spilled in front of your eyes." Megan held her sword more out towards him "You do, and the last thing you'll see is getting your eyeballs ripped out so you can watch your own savage torture. By the time we're done, you'll be begging for death but you won't receive it." The thing continued going backwards "Yes, well, right now I have all the cards ladies, and, it seems I'm making the first move. So, hand it over." He poked the dagger closer to Shavai's throat. She gulped as she saw how the blade was almost penatrating her skin, and to make matters worse, Jaden was taking off the necklace.

Jaden put her sword back in its place and walked slowly toward Shavai's hostile friend. Jack couldn't believe his eyes. The same woman who had chased him in public, and could probably take him in a sword fight, was about to give up the key to the greatest treasure, to save a replaceable person. 'She's nuts.' Jack thought to himself, 'But nuts is something we all have to be.' Megan was equally shocked. Shavai almost hyperventilated as Jaden came within three steps. "You've lost your damn mind!" Shavai yelled at Jaden. Jaden shrugged it off. She knew she had no other choice and she wasn't going to sacrifice one of her best friends over something she didn't want in the first place.

Shavai looked around like she was paranoid. She slipped her fingers into her bag at her side and pulled one of the love potion vials out. She placed the cork inbetween her finger and thumb and twisted it off silently "If you hand it over to this guy, I swear to God I'll hang you upside down by your wrists and have you skinned alive." Jaden looked back sadly. It was so ironic. The journey ends just as it looked as though it would begin. She sighed. She was looking forward to having an adventure like this like she had dreamed. She knew something would screw it up, she just didn't know how bad. Megan stepped forward "Jaden, you can't do this." Jack stayed as much out of the way as he could. He looked and waited for the oppertune moment. Shavai flipped the bottle up, luckily landing with enough force it spilled over the man and landed in his eyes. The thing threw his hands to his burning eyes and Shavai took the oppertunity to escape. "What now?!" Megan yelled holding her sword steadfastly. Jack looked at Megan amazed. 'How can she be so dumb?" He wrapped his hand around a nearby candle and flung it at the guy. Whatever ingredients had been mixed into the love potion worked. He went up in flames like a bunch of gasoline.

He writhed in the flames as he ran around the store catching the curtains and sheets and plants on fire all around him. Jack and the girls left as fast as they could. The ship almost started to sail without them. They finally made it to the boat and shuved the boarding ramp off it's connection to the boat. They ran around cutting the ropes of the ship from the dock with their swords and daggers as the crew ran furiously around the vast deck. They all looked back as the dock began to fade seeing the smoke rise from the building. The people who took residence in the area scurried about the shore trying to put the fire out. No doubt they would find the body. No doubt Jack's good friend Norrington would get on their trail again.

Jack sighed. He looked around the ship's deck overseeing everything; Everyone. He felt empty inside. He had had a countless amount of lovers in his past, but none had meant anything to him. Anything beyond a moment of bliss only to have money collected from him and the pleasurable company be gone from his life until another lonely night had crept upon him. He exhaled slowly. Maybe he would be lucky this time. Weirder things have happened after all.

Will ran towards Shavai and grabbed her sternly by the shoulders. "Where the hell were you?! I was so..." Will cut himself off looking around seeing Megan, Jack and Jaden staring at him. Will continued "Angry! I had no idea where you were. We could've left without you!" Shavai looked slightly suprised. 'He actually cares. Wow.' Shavai thought to herself. Jaden whispered in Jaden's ear "I'm not quite understanding. Translation please." Megan thought for a second. "I thinnk he's saying "Blah blah, I'm a euphnic, please, please, love me." They laughed to each other as they went their seperate ways. Megan went to get some sleep and Jaden walked around the deck. Jack looked over and was disturbed at what he saw. Will and Shavai? "What happened to Elizabeth?" He muttered to himself. Jaden looked back at him "What'd you just say?" Jack looked at her. "Oh nothing." Jaden walked over to one side of the ship. She lifted her sleeve to her wrist and looked at the slashes in her skin. They looked angry and as though they had just been done. She closed her eyes and felt the breeze blow through her hair. It felt nice to her. Finally she could have one moment of peace.

Just then, something was tapped against her back. She quickly turned around. Jack was standing with the same firey eyes she had seen the first time she saw him. It felt almost like the greatest sin in the world to look in his eyes. It was like she was finally home. He held a flask in his hand and offered her a drink. Jaden smiled lightly and took a sip. Straight rum. She knew it right away. She wished he had warned her. It tasted like she had drank some pepperminty-grass juice. She shuddered. It felt like it had just hit her. She began to chug at the rest of it. Jack looked on in shock as she tilted her head back and drank the rest. She took a deep breath when she finished and tossed it back to him "You're out, sailor."

He put both hands up in a surrendering motion "I give up. You are the drinking queen of the sea." Jaden laughed. They looked at the water below before Jaden broke the silence. "Jack, why do you want the amulet?" Jack looked for a moment as though he was in deep thought. "I guess, for the adventure. After all, I'm the great Jack Sparrow." He could've hit himself in the head. Was it possible he was so drunk he had forgotten to remind her of his Captain status? He was having such a good time, he didn't particularly care.

Jaden laughed at his speech. No matter how breif. She pulled her sleeve down to hide the cuts. Jack reached out and grabbed her arm. "Why did you do this?" Jack thought his heart was going to break. Jaden was really more than what met the eye. What a beautiful sadness. Jaden thought she would choke. No one had ever asked her, not even Megan or Shavai. "Jack. You- you know how it is, when you want to cry, but there's no reason to? Well, I always felt I had to have a reason, so I made one." Jack reached out and embraced her. Jaden felt the tears roll down her cheeks. Jack brushed them away. She felt normal talking to Jack about this personal stuff... she also felt the rum go to her head. "Okay, I wanna show you something. Captain." She started smiling deviously. She proceeded to go below deck to his chambers. Jack wasn't sure he should be doing anything with a person drunker than he was. For once he was laughing at someone else's personality. "Aww, come on Jack. I don't bite." Jack took a step back from her as she swurved in and outwards towards him and away.

"I don't think I should be doing anything with your condition being so....so..." He struggled for the word. "Delicate." 'Jesus, Mary, and Joseph! What the hell? She's not pregnant! Why'd he use the word condition?!' Jack gave a charactoristic grin. Jaden pulled him toward her and held him in a passionate kiss. Jaden thought she was going to die. They both proceeded through Jack's door to his quarters. They continued kissing as Jack moved his arms around her waist as the door swung shut behind them.

Meanwhile

Shavai leaned over on her chair. She sat on the deck wondering. Though all three of the girls had a tough exterior, they all were hopeless romantics. She got up and looked over the side of the ship. There was something about Will that made her feel her skin was the only thing holding her together. And it seemed although that was redundantly true, it made her take measure of herself. Will made her heart speed up. He made her feel like she was held by a corset in which it was almost impossible to breath. She wondered to herself the one question all of the girls had on their minds that night: Was it love, or lust?

She shifted uncomfortably in the breeze echanging her arms positioning over her chest. Maybe it was lust. Whatever it was, she's never felt this way about any man. She could picture herself being with him the rest of her life. She inhaled deeply and let it out slowly. It was time to take things almost seriously for a moment. She laughed quietly to herself. She pulled out a bottle of Madame Yendel's love potion. She carefully put it to her nose. She thought about Will for a moment. She was a full-fledged pirate. But for once, she didn't want to steal Will's affections. She laughed to herself. How ironic. She took the top off and threw it in the ocean. followed by pouring the bottle's contents into the dark water below. The liquid shimmered it's deep red color and landed in the water mixing in. She liked Will too much, and wanted him to come because he liked her too. Not because of a potion, or a threat.


	7. Memories of a Near Death

Shavai continued staring at the sea below her. Staring out at it made her feel as if she owned it all. She also felt that if she turned around from where she was, her past and everything she left would come back to get her. She was sure one day it would. It was only a matter of time. She slowly turned around to see Will standing on the opposite side of the ship. He looked just like a painted picture. Shavai was hypnotized by him as she found herself walking in his direction. Will turned around as if disturbed by her presence, as though he had just was thinking about something that couldn't have an audience. She began to have second thoughts about even walking over there. Will turned in her direction with her back turned towards the ship's side. He looked at her with a saddened grimace on his face. Shavai wondered if she had done something wrong. Will cleared his throat then broke the seemingly endless silence "Hello, Shavai." Shavai thought she'd faint as she heard her own name spoken by him. 'Oh, if only he'd say my name once again!' She thought with her heart pounding. "Hello, Will. What's the reason for you being all alone on a beautiful night such as this?" 

Will sighed and turned back towards the sea as he spoke to her grimly "Shavai, may I ask you something?" His voice seemed as though it was about to give out. As though all the sadness in the world was in it and it was weighing down whatever he was trying to get out. Under all the pressure, Shavai thought it would surely break. "Shavai..." He said her name again. She wanted to pounce him then and there if he said her name again. She felt like choking and kissing him till his lips were burned from friction between them. Will suddenly stopped. He turned towards her. Shavai could see the tears welling up in his eyes. "Um...this is not easy to put to words." Shavai wanted to hold him. He looked like a hurt child. "Well, just try." She tried to offer comfort, hoping her words would help him in any way at all. "Elizabeth Swan was my wife not too long ago-" His voice cut off in her head. 'Of course!' she thought to herself 'He's still married. That's why.' She could've kicked herself just then. It felt like another needle had just been inserted into her heart like a pin cushion. She tried to be apathetic. "Oh, and that's my problem? Is it? I don't give a damn if she was your mother you son of a..." She cut herself off. He looked as though he would die from the words. They dripped with disdain and venom meant for him and him alone. Will continued "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make my problems yours. I'll stop. I should've known better than to tell my problems to you." Shavai felt a spark go off. She didn't care if she did like him, when referred to as 'you' he indirectly called her a bitch. She was going to have the last say of this argument if it killed her. 

She took a deep breath and turned towards Will "How dare you." Will had the nerve to look surprised as if he had no knowledge of the offense he had just committed against her. "You may be some rich gentleman and I'm just a thieving pirate, but don't you dare take me for some two-bit whore who does not know how to defend herself. If I wanted to kill you believe me, I would've. But I actually was a fool for thinking that you would know not to judge by appearances. You think I don't know who you are Will? I know you used to be a blacksmith and made little more than nothing, but now you have the nerve to judge me for my profession? If you do this, you do me wrong. So get off your high-horse or I'll knock you off." Will stood completely stunned. He had no idea of what to say. Shavai stood embracing the silence. He looked charming until he decided to open his mouth. She should've known better than to accept a man into her life before she knew him. Will continued "Let's cut out that part before your drugs kicked in, and back to when I was trying to explain myself." Shavai shook her head. She would probably never forget that he made her feel so inferior, but she'd get him back for it. "Alright, Will. I forgive you. That would be splendid to go back to the beginning so let's do that." Will looked cautiously as Shavai offered her hand for him to shake it. He finally took advantage and moved toward her hand and grabbed her waist and kissed her full-fledged on the mouth. Shavai became dumbfounded and took a vial out from her pocket and pretended to drop it. "Whoops, clumsy me." Shavai bent down to pick it up grabbed hold of Will's legs with all her strength and dropping him over-board. Shavai turned back towards the crew and yelled with all her strength "Man over-board!" Will came back up spitting the water out and watching as the ship appeared to leave without him. Will looked up to see Shavai "I'm going to kill you!" Shavai merely laughed. "I think not pretty-boy! And besides, you should thank your lucky stars I found the sympathy in my heart and blackened soul to have them stop!"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*MEANWHILE~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The fire rose on the roof-tops all around Megan as she struggled to crawl out of the house. She wondered why she heard no noises from her family. Her mother, her father, her sister. Nothing. She dragged herself towards the front door. The pain she felt reached into her perseverance and turned it to the highest it could go as Shock set in. She felt the pain was worse than the world had to experience. She rubbed her hand over her face only to pull it back covered in blood. She wondered why her legs wouldn't move and why she couldn't stop the pain that exploded from them. She screamed for help as she watched the flames set in around her. She finally made it to the door, feeling as though at any given moment without warning her arms would fall off. She ached and hurt all over. She wanted to live. She just had to make it. If not for her, for the love of her life. Her only reason worth living. A few minutes later, she was safely away from her house and onto the ocean dock. A shadow came over her as she coughed up the blood and smoke that she held in her lungs. She made it. She'd survive. Or so she thought.

"Oh, sweetie, let me help you." She heard the words and became relieved but there was something cold and hidden in them. Something that made her shiver. The man took Megan's neck and began to push her face underwater as she felt a sword go through her shoulder blade. She screamed underwater as she watched the little air she had rush to the top of the water. Blood escaped her mouth and rose with the air as things started getting hazy till she went numb and her vision blurred beyond control. Shapes and shadows were all that remained. She blinked and her eyes closed. When she was able to open them, she felt herself surrounded in water, only to find she couldn't move. She looked at her legs to find them bound to a cannon ball. As she continued going deeper. She saw the blood leaking from her leg, with the protruding dagger jammed in her calf. She was thankful she couldn't feel. But her heart felt otherwise. She looked up to see a shadow looming over the water that kept fading with the moments that passed as she kept falling further from the surface. She couldn't gather the strength to fight against the water though she felt her doom coming towards her. She embraced it with a warm sense of relief. She wouldn't have to face the fact she knew who did this to her. Her one and only reason to continue living did this to her. And it died. Just as she was going to now... she knew her death would find her eventually, and it all started with those brown eyes that looked like the burning embers of hell.

It was all because of Brandon...

Megan paid no attention to the crew running about as they threw the anchor into the dark sea in it's pitch black depths. She had her own troubles. The dreams were getting steadily worse of her memories and she felt the pain all over again. Megan took her hand and ran it over her calf. The scar was still there and seemed to sting whenever she acknowledged it. She remembered though, if it wasn't for Brandon's betrayal, Jaden would've never saved her and they would've never found Shavai drunk in the alley. Megan knew Brandon was still out there. And she was determined to find him, ask him why he did what he did, and then when all was done, she was going to kill him. But she wasn't going to make Brandon's mistake. She was going to make sure he died. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jack and Jaden shifted in the bed as they sea rocked them. Everything felt so right between the two of them. Jaden leaned over and gave him a kiss. Jack didn't understand much of what had happened between the two of them, but it worked. And he had no regrets. And for one brief moment he believed he could spend the rest of his life with her. And although she said nothing aloud, Jaden felt the same, though neither would accept it or tell the other their thoughts. Jaden hopped out of bed and as quick as a flash, was finishing putting her clothes on and closing her blouse. She couldn't believe everything was real as she looked into the mirror smoothing her hair and checking on the bed to see Jack was still there. She smiled and almost laughed as she realized what her mother would think. Her, barely 22 years old, having a man in a bed with a simple white sheet wrapped over his pants and nothing else. She watched as Jack pretended to act asleep. "Oh, please." She murmured as she heard Jack let out a loud snore grumbling things in his sleep Jaden turned as she heard Jack let out the words "Oh yes, love, a little more...." She wanted to slap him so hard. But she didn't. She simply laughed it off and made her way to the top deck.

~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Author's note: I'm sorry about the previous chapters. They were uploaded by a friend because my new computer doesn't have the .doc format. So, Sorry! 


	8. A Week From Today

Chapter 8: "A Week From Today..."

Shavai looked over at Will as he his teeth chattered away. Shavai thought he looked so handsome being wet from head to toe. He pulled the blanket tighter around himself. Will began speaking again after a few moments "You know," he took a deep breath "I never knew any girl that was shorter than I was that could push me overboard." Shavai grinned at the comment "You mean 'Tossed', William." She corrected him with the attitude an english teacher would use on a failing student who was retarded. Will gave a half-hearted smile to Shavai and glanced at the ring on his finger. The gold band signified he was married. Or WAS currently.

Shavai gave him a glance "What's the matter now?" Will looked at her "I was trying to tell you earlier. I was married to Elizabeth Swan-" Shavai cut him off.

"And you were married."

"Yes. But only until last June." He paused a moment and looked at the sky. "She caught malaria and held on for a few days...until she couldn't any longer." Shavai finally understood. Elizabeth had been Mrs. Will Turner until the previous year. But no longer; there was hope for Shavai yet. Shavai struggled to force words out "I'm sorry." She said, about to the point of stabbing herself with her sword before brightening up and smiling broadly "Time to splice the mainbrace!" Will turned bewildered "Do _what_, miss?!" Shavai returned from a bag with a bottle of rum "Time for a drink, Mr. Turner." Shavai put the bottle to her lips and swung her head back with it and gave a loud exhale "Aye, that's what I've missed." Will looked completely shocked.

"I've never heard a woman say such a thing."

"Presuming you've been with women before."

"What does that mean?"

"What do you think it means?"

"I think something rude." Will said folding his arms.

"Then you'd be right because it wasn't a compliment."

"Wait- I'm lost. Are you complimenting or offending?"

"Neither really."

"Then tell me what it means."

"What's WHAT mean?"

"You mean you don't know?"

"Of course not, otherwise I would've told you. Now, What'd I say?!" Shavai began to reach for her sword.

"Wait- I don't have to take this!" Will stood up and walked head on into a door. Shavai snickered "There's a door there you poxy,poxed idocincrisy." Will stumbled backwards. "I've noticed." Shavai put her sword back and looked at Will "Alright, bucko. You want to show you're a man? Let's do it." Will looked stunned "I hardly know you!" Shavai rolled her eyes 'Typical man.' she thought. "Once again, you never cease to amaze me. I'm challenging you to a duel. My swag shall be the prize." She placed her bag of gold coins, dubloons, and jewelery on a barrel and unsheathed her sword. Will unsheathed his. "Are you ready, m'lady?" Shavai snickered at him.

"Ladies first." Neither moved.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Shavai asked chuckling.

Shavai took a step to the left - Will to the right. Shavai made the first lunge with her sword Will slammed his sword ontop of hers making the sword head to the ground. Shavai shoved him away and started slicing at him. He grabbed a mop and pushed it into her stomach. She cut the handle in half. Will threw it to the side. He headed toward the barrel with her bag on it. "Naughty boy. You know you can't weasel out of this." She slammed her sword sideways on his backside as he fell over and rolled to make sure the place Shavai hit with her sword and the place he was kept as seperate as possilble. He finally got his to his feet and Shavai came weilding her sword. With one clean swipe, Will moved her sword to the side. Shavai pulled a small pouch from her pocket. Will walked backwards to catch it, when he caught it. he slipped on the wet deck and Shavai held her sword an inch from his chest and he was forced to let his fall. He sighed "You cheated." Shavai opened her mouth but before any words were said he finished her sentence "I know, I know. Pirate."

Jaden walked over to Megan slowly "Ahoy." She lowly said as she approached her. "What could possibly be the reason to so dreary on this night?" Megan sighed. "Do you remember when you found me?" Jaden smiled "That I do. You were drowning in a storming sea of your own blood you could barely tell was a part of the ocean. It's remarkable no sharks found you before I did." Megan chuckled "Yeah." Jaden looked over the edge into the water. "I wonder to this day where all the blood went." They both smiled again. They both stared at the water for one awkard moment of silence that seemed to go on forever. "And as the water seemed getting deeper, and I struggle to be free. All the life doesn't matter, because of what's been done to me." Megan recited smiling at Jaden and Jaden looked back seeing Will and Shavai. Closer than normal, Will on the ground with Shavai standing over him. Jaden pointed and they both broke out into laughter. "Perfect angel, everything's broken let me help you be free, everything will be alright and you won't fall, long as you trust in me." Jaden finished reciting and they both focussed their attention back on Shavai and Will.

"Oh dear. Shavai's fallen for the euphnic. Whatever shall we do?" Jaden sighed and looked at Megan. Meganjust looked at Jaden and smiled bringing a small flask out of her pocket. "We let her make her own mistake while we sit back and splice the mainbrace with a clap of thunder." Jaden grinned. "Just what I needed."

Couple of bottles later

The crew was watching as Jaden and Megan rolled around the deck. Even the lookout used his telescope to watch them and just occasionally look down at them. Some of them sat around on the deck looking at them. "Seven beats a foot!" Megan looked at Jaden as she said the new found knowledge. "No! No, no, no! A thousand times no! It's the water shoving off the boat of the dreaded island of the monkies! Do ye'r math!" They both looked at each other silently and erupted with laughter. "The rock from your mother's grave!" Megan and Jaden toasted their bottles together. "To freddom!" Megan looked at Jaden suspiciously "You just said 'Fred'um'. Are you insulting me?" Jaden gulped "No?" Megan pulled out her pistol and pointed it at Jaden "Are you sure?" Jaden gulped again. "Yes?" Megan put her gun away "Oh good. Ok, now where were we?" They both picked up their bottles and finished drinking them.

A few minutes had passed when Jack came up from below the deck to see what everyone was staring at. "What in God's name is going on here?!" Jacinda looked down from where she laid on part of the mass "That would be your girlfriend and her friend." Jack could almost shoot Jacinda but turned the other way and began walkng into the wall. "Once again your stupidity overtakes your ego!" Jacinda looked as Jack backed from the wall and then punched it, hurting his hand. "You know that's an ananimate object, savvy?" Jack pulled his pistol out and aimed it at Jacinda. "I already bloody know!" He furiously put it back in it's place. It wouldn't look good being a feared pirate and your last victim was your sister. Jack sighed as he looked around at the crew. The Black Pearl just a piece of a memory now. He was once again abandoned on an island and now the people that marooned him on the island took over the ship. He had no idea who they were. It all started with that girl...

She had long chestnut brown hair and wide eyes that looked so innocent, she couldn't hide a thing. but she had a dark side and led the mutiny against Jack and claimed the Black Pearl as hers. Her and her boyfriend. Jack never did find out the boy's name. Just that he had black hair and piercing brown eyes that looked like burning embers when the light caught them. As if he had been placed under a spell...

Jack finally found Jaden laying on the deck staring at the stars a while later; rum bottle in hand. "Jack? Is that you" Jaden asked not even looking in his direction. "Aye." Jack looked down at her and then up at the stars "How can you stare at something so bleak?" Jaden sat up and handed him the rum bottle. "I don't see little dots. I see stories. That's how I see them." Jaden looked at Jack as he concentrated on them. "Jack, how long do we have?" Jack counted on his hands "A week from today, before the treasure's gone for another thousand years." Jaden sighed. "No, Jack. How long do we have?".Jack looked at her contemplating their fate and helped her up and put his arm around her waist and held her close to him. "I don't know, love. I don't know..."


	9. Encounter With the Black Pearl

Chapter 9: Encounter with the Black Pearl

Megan opened her eyes as the raindrops slowly pounded on her forehead. She put her hand to her head and wiped them off. Leaning on the side of the ship. She didn't know where she was. She fell over onto the hardwood deck and crawled around. The crew members gave a friendly smile, but she wasn't convinced. She stood up completely paranoid and grabbed Mr. Cotton by the shirt collar and spun him around with his back to her chest. She held her sword by his neck. "Who are you guys and where the hell am I?!" She demanded an answer. Mr. Cotton said nothing. "Answer man!" The parrot flew down and started pecking Megan. She slapped at it, never succeeded in hitting it. "Yo ho, yo ho!" The parrot said.

"What in the seven Hells is that supposed to mean?!" Mr. Gibbs came forward. "He's mute. Poor lad got his tongue cut out. I've told you that a million times. Now for Heaven's sake, let him go, and please get a shirt on!" Megan looked down, finding she were nothing but an undergarment and quickly ran below deck, now remembering everything. She returned moments later to see Jaden walking around on the deck. She walked to her. "Hey, Jaden, where's Shavai? I haven't seen her since she took off with the euphnic."

Meanwhile....

Shavai shifted on the bed and and looked to her left. She wasn't alone. She leaped up screaming seeing Will was in the bed with her. "What the hell are you doing here?!" Will looked suprised as he sat up and pulled the covers over himself. "Are you daft?!" Shavai pulled her pants up to her ankles and jumped around the room to pull her pants up. She almost had it until she tripped over the comforter. She laid on the ground thinking for a moment as she struggled into her pants. "Will, why are you going on this thingy?" Will tilted his head "What thingy? The search for the amulet? Because Jack asked me to. Besides, he said that it would be a great adventure. I don't care about the treasure." Shavai shook her head as she understood what he meant. Suddenly she realized she and Will had just slept together..... and she didn't remember a thing. She cursed herself inside. "I'm gonna quit drinking."

She went to the main deck and began walking around contemplating what she had done. She wondered if Will could possibly love her the way that she loved him. She couldn't wait to be back on land, but, she didn't want her time to be cut short with Will. She wished it would last forever and as far as she was concerned, she didn't care if she ever saw land again. She looked ahead of her. The crew was in a huge crowd toward the back of the ship. Jack was there infront of them all looking through a telescope talking to Jaden. Just as Shavai made her way through the crowd he grinned "They're catching up." Shavai looked at Megan worried "Who are they?"

Megan turned to Shavai and replied "These are the bastards that've been following us. The damned things that sent that creature on us back at the port."

Jack handed the telescope to Jaden. She looked back at Jack "So...got any good ideas?" Jack considered for a moment he held up a finger as he swayed back and forth about to tell Jaden his plan, until Jaden interrupted "I said good ideas, not drunk ones." Jack put his finger down and looked back at the ship following them, then back at Jaden. "Nope, not a one." Jaden looked unsuprised. "Didn't think so."

Shavai took the telescope from Jaden and examined the ship. A large ship.... with black sails....with a crew that looked to be damned as walking corpses. Once again, Jack would have to get in a battle against his own ship. The Black Pearl would be firing on them soon. Jack sighed. It looked as though he would have to have to destroy his own ship. "Get moving you half-wits!" Jack ordered to the crew. "Unless you feel like living at the bottom of Davy Jone's locker!" Jack moved quickly to the wheel. "Load the cannons!" Shavai, Megan and Jaden, ordered the crew to load everything into them, get pistols loaded and get swords unsheathed. They over looked everything as the ship came closer.

"Ready, aim........fire!"

To Be Continued....


	10. The Weave Unravels

Before anyone knew what was happening shots were being fired from both sides. People swung on ropes, onto the enemy's ship. Shots rang out from the cannons and guns, swords and daggers clanged and clashed. The first battle was on. Mr. Gibbs looked mean and tough, until he decided to hide from the fight by climbing the ship's mast. Jack's crew looked at their enemies they looked to be nothing more than green and light blue decaying skin on black bones. "To the death!" they all yelled as charged again with more force than before.

Jack walked swiftly and calmly to the other ship, unnoticed by any crew member. For the moment. One corpse seemed to appear out of nowhere and held his sword over his head. "Arr!" He shouted. Jack waved his hand in front of his nose. "Okay, mate. I'll level with you." He motioned with his hands as though even he had no idea what he was talking about. "What year were ye born in?" The thing looked at it's barely there fingers "1700." Jack pursed his lips "Ah, well." The creature looked at him questioningly "Why?"

"To be perfectly honest mate, you're ruining this one." Jack thrust his sword through the corpse quickly and the corpse fell on his back gagging on his own breath and then he stopped moving at all. "Get up, Thomas! You're already dead you blithering idiot!" Another said as he saw Thomas go down. Thomas got up and scratched his head. Jack pulled his sword out and began to run. Arms flailing infront of him. Thomas ran behind him swatting the air with his blade.

"I was here first, you addlepate! What kind of a man are you?!" Jacinda said as she began pushing him off. "One that wishes to stay alive!" Jacinda pulled her sword out and accidently hit it into the mast instead of Gibbs. "You're a stubborn ass! That's what ya are!" Gibbs climbed carefully to the otherside and pulled out his flask and drank a little of it. Jacinda licked her lips as her eyes widened seeing the flask. She leaned a little closer slowly beginning to reach out for it. Gibbs saw her leaning for it. He moved it around in a circular motion. Jacinda's eyes never left it for a second. Gibbs held it over the edge and dropped it, Jacinda made a leap for it, grabbing nothing but air and one of her hands caught the mast and kept her from falling. She then made her way down the mast "We should keelhaul you, you landlubbing mystical winged fairy loving bastard." She mumbled as she went down to the deck.

On the other ship one woman stood facing Jack's ship. Two men stood beside her. The woman appeared to be in her early twenties, with long brown hair that went a little beyond her shoulders. She had dark brown eyes that glimmered in the sun as she stared straight ahead with no emotion. She grinned as she saw the ships in utter chaos. The man on her left was a foot taller than she was, while the man on the right was taller too, but not by much.

"Captain Morgan, why do you need me still? I don't want to get mixed up in this." She crossed her arms across her chest as she spoke to the man on her left. Morgan turned to her as he replied "Because you know the way to the treasure. Besides, they don't have a prayer." The woman gave a sinister grin. She turned briskly and walked towards the edge of the ship's deck. Captain Morgan looked to her with his one eye. "You know, Demeta, I'm getting extremely tired of you. Your job was simply to be in charge of telling us where the treasure was. And now you're finished."

Jack stood behind the wall listening in on the conversation. He knew Demeta from way back. She was the one who marooned him on the island and stole the Black Pearl and burned it in the ocean. Jack had never suffered a cut as deep as that one had. The Pearl was all he had. And now it was gone. Normally, he would never hurt a lady physically, but this girl was just a little more bitchier than he'd like.

Jaden, Shavai, and Megan continued slashing at the monsters surrounding them. They only had their backs to each other to get the monsters from all directions. Shavai looked to the other ship as she swiped a corpse's head off and kicked his body over. "Jaden, what the hell is Jack doing?!" Jaden looked back around for a moment. "I don't know! I'm not psychic!" Everything grew silent for a moment and the corpses became fewer and fewer. "Hey, where's Will?" They looked around and saw Will taking five of them on by himself. "Honestly, how daft is that euphic?!" Megan yelled as she looked at Shavai. "I'm pretty sure he's no euphnic..." Her voice trailed off. "Oh my god, you whore!" Megan began laughing. "You better go save lover-boy before he misses some vital attributes - we'll talk about this later."

Jaden looked over the deck, seeing the decapitated bodies everywhere brought back memories of Megan's little town. Right after Demeta and Captain Robert Morgan swept through it and about half of England and a couple of little known places along the Carribean. They left no survivors. No one was ever known to survive an attack by them except for Megan. Jaden snuck beside Jack as they both listened to the ensuing battle between Morgan and Demeta.

"What are you going to do if I don't lead you to the treasure? Kill me? Threaten me?" Demeta looked over the corner of the wall where Jaden and Jack were standing.

"You're going to take me to it or else." Robert replied glaring at her out of his one good eye.

"Or else, what?" Demeta stood with her arms held out.

Robert looked at her for a second, then walked over to her grabbing her around the back of her shoulders and just under her knees and threw her overboard. "Thanks for the map, love! It should take us there by the end of the seven days!"

Megan went to get her flask off the deck. She sighed as she bent down to pick it up, finding her hand come into contact with the flat side of a sword. Megan looked up and saw the brown eyes again. The ones that raged with fire and seemed to burn a whole right through her. She hoped it was a dream; or in this case, a nightmare that she would soon wake up from.

"Hello, love..." He whispered as he softly traced the sword up her arm to her neck and began to push it lightly.


	11. The Bad Guy Never Dies

A Few Good Years to Be Alive

Chapter 11: The Bad Guy Never Dies

Megan looked up in a panic slowly reaching her free hand to her sword. She saw the ghost she thought she would never be forced to deal with again. Brandon was standing above her on the other end of the sword.

"How have you been, darling?" Brandon glared at her, It tortured her to see him be this way. She tilted her head "I admit I've been better." Brandon chuckled as he pushed the blade a little further to her throat. He began to slide it sideways lightly,

"I admit, I thought you were a gonner. That's why I left you there. And now you've come back," He paused for a second as he looked at the small dots of blood that were popping up along the line where his sword had just gone from. He leaned in and kissed her cheek "And I am really going to enjoy killing you all over again with your sweet little friends." He whispered in her ear. Megan couldn't believe it. He had the audacity to tell her in advance what he was going to do to her friends. A familiar rage came from her heart to pay an almost-forgotten visit. She swung the blade at Brandon as hard as she could taking her other hand and pushing his sword away from her sideways. Megan found herself getting kicked from the back of her knees and getting pushed down onto the deck flat on her stomach as Brandon held her hand pressed onto the deck. Megan clutched her sword tighter. Brandon moved his face by her ear as he said almost inaudioubly "Ready to die yet?" Brandon thought he knew her answered would surely be yes. But she wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

"I don't think so." She hit her head against his as hard as she could force it. When he stumbled backwards, Megan took the oppertunity to roll over crouched with her sword. "If you feel like dying anytime soon, feel free to step forward."

Brandon picked up his own as he got into a stance. He opened his mouth. But before anything could come out, a loud whistle was heard coming from the other ship. He quickly placed it back into it's holder as he made his way to the edge of the ship and grabbed a rope from the other ship. "Until next time, Love." He laughed as he swung to the other ship and dissappeared from her sight. She sighed and looked around. The skeleton creatures had suddenly dissappeared.

Jack looked around himself and Jaden and analyzed the situation. "What in God's name are you doing here?!" He yelled in a hushed tone at Jaden. She shushed him. Jack looked around as they noticed the corpse-crew making it's way back onto the ship. Jaden began to run off the boat before Jack grabbed her "Not good! What are we supposed to do?" Jaden looked dumbfounded at him. She wasn't sure if he was playing stupid or if he was serious "Well Jack, I'm leaving before we both get killed." Jack continued holding her by her forearm "But what about their loot? The map?! Their rum?!" Jaden sighed. It figured. "I've got an idea. You wait here! I'll be right back!" She ran to one of the ropes hanging on the side of the ship and began to make her way swinging back onto their ship.

Jack looked around the ship. Jaden wasn't to be found anywhere. He noticed a bunch of the corpses gathering near him as they all began to unsheath their swords. Jack finally realized Jaden wasn't coming back. He winced as he felt a lash go to his pride and ran for all he was worth. He took out a pistol from the left side of his belt and grabbed a bottle of rum from one of the swash buckling corpsemen. He turned around seeing the zombiefied crew a little ways behind him. He tore a piece of his shirt and placed it hanging off the bottle and lit the cloth. He looked at one of the men with a gleam in his eye as he yelled "Catch!" One of them caught it and began to rejoice "Thought you could outsmart us again, ey' Sparrow?" Thomas called out admiring as the flame on the cloth grew shorter and shorter to the contents in the bottle. Jack dived off the ship into the water as it seemed the fire made a small explosion on the deck and the fire quickly spread with the wind. Jack raised his head above the water only to hear Demeta's frantic cry for help as she drowned - not being able to swim.

"Help! Help!" Demeta cried as she flailed about in the water. Jack began to swim closer to the ship, but his conscience got to him. He turned around and swam back to Demeta and put his arm around her as he began to move back to the ship. "Ahoy!" He yelled up to the ship. A rope began to be lowered down to him. He looked at Demeta as she sat awestricken at Jack. He felt he could kill her and let her drown as the memories flooded his mind. "I know I'm gonna regret this." He muttered to himself as they were hoisted up. Demeta looked at the flaming ship in the distance as it seemed to go farther and farther away, once they were on deck. She shook her head "Imbeciles..." she muttered as she turned toward Jack as he held his sword at her. "Ladies and gents, we got ourselves a hostage!" Jack stated as Mr. Gibbs walked up behind Jack. "It's not good to have so many women onboard, Jack. I swear you've gone more daft than ever before." Jack looked at him and looked back at Demeta, then to Jacinda, Jaden, Megan, and Shavai. "You've just now noticed?" Mr. Gibbs walked to Demeta and tied her hands together with some rope. "Kill me if you want to. You know you do, Jack." Demeta looked at Jack smirking. Jack looked back towards her. "Why must you tempt me?" He winced as he picked his gun up then put it back in its place. "In any case, I'm of no use. Roberts threw me off the ship and left me to drown." Jaden, Shavai, and Megan all looked suspiciously at Demeta. Something wasn't right. "I don't trust this....this...woman." Shavai said as she made a sharp turn to walk off to find Will. Megan looked at Shavai and saw Will in the distance. She snickered "Oh Shavai..." Her voice trailed off as she ran to Shavai's side to taunt her. Jaden looked back, then focussed her attention on Demeta. Something was going on. She just didn't know what yet. But she had a suspiscion that if she waited around to find out, it would be too late.

"So, what you're saying is- you've changed?" Demeta shook her head.

"You mean to say that I can't persecute you for the past things you've done?" Demeta shook her head.

"You mean to say," Jack walked around her in a small circle "You're good now?" Demeta shook her head.

"Well, that's good enough for me." He stated as he motioned for Mr. Gibbs to escort her to a holding cell. "Lets go, Missy." He said as he took Demeta by the arm and the crew around them dispersed. Demeta looked back at the shrinking flame that remained of the ship and smirked. When Mr. Gibbs left her alone she began to laugh.

"I always knew your heart would be your demise, Jack Sparrow. I knew it all along..."

****

To Be Continued....


	12. Jaden's Walk Down Memory Lane

A Few Good Years to Be Alive

Chapter 12: Jaden's Walk Down Memory Lane

(Day 3)

"Stop it, Megan. I'm warning you." Shavai stated as she continued trying to walk out of Megan's taunting, but to no avail. "Oh, you mean like I warned you about sleeping with euphnics?" Shavai turned and glared at Megan "Knock it off." Megan grinned "You mean the way you knocked HIM off?" Shavai looked infuriated."This is the last time I'm telling you." Megan beamed a wide smirk "I bet it won't be the last time for you." She walked over and poked Shavai annoyingly. She continued glaring back and flung her sword at Megan, but Megan was already out of the way. Megan ran to Jaden screaming in a high-pitch. Jaden gave a confused look of bewilderment as Megan leaped behind her. "Stop her! She's gone mad! And she has a sword!" Jaden looked unsuprised. "Honey, I'd hate to be the one to tell you but you have one too."

Megan glanced down and gleamed. "Oh yeah... hehe." Jaden shook her head and clicked her tongue. She wanted to get out of the fighting ring. So, she went and stood under one of the masts. Out of nowhere a coconut seemed to fall from the sky. Jaden jumped to the side weilding her sword at whatever hit her. "What in blazes?!" She yelled as she saw the coconut. Gradually she looked up to see Jacinda swinging around on the mast. "Hee hee Hoo Haw! I am a monkey!" Jaden, Megan, and Shavai stood looking vacantly at her in pity and confusion. Jacinda saw the looks and gave an embarrassed laugh "Hehe- Oh. It's not like you've never done anything embarrassing before." Megan replied "No, actually, I haven't." Shavai ran toward her bringing her sword down. "Oh whatever!" She yelled Megan countered her and kicked her in the butt and sent her on the ground. "Name one." Shavai looked thoughtfully and suddenly smiled. "Remember about a day or so ago and you got drunk and when you woke up you didn't know where you were and you held Mr. Cotton hostage and you had no shirt on?" Megan blushed "I did no such thing!" She insisted. "Oh whatever, you lying alcholic!" Megan yelled back "I am not an alcholic you infantile! I'm a drunk, there's a difference. Alcholics go to special meeting places!" She tackled Shavai to the ground and began tickling her without mercy. Jaden laughed and her mind wandered back to Demeta. What was she really up to?

Demeta looked around her little 'room' to see if there was any light. To her astonishment, there was none other than the single candle she was given. She looked at her ring "Are you catching up?" She asked it. It blinked it's emerald green color twice beginning to light up the room while doing so.

"And may he rest in peace." They crew took the sheet eveloped corpse and threw it overboard. He was one of their own. Mr. Cotton wiped a tear from his eyes and his parrot squacked "And yet we know not where. And yet we know not where. Rawk!" Mr. Gibbs padded Cotton's shoulder.

Megan looked off in the distance as they gave the fallen a burial at sea. Her mind wandered back for a moment to Brandon's threat and she saw herself being thrown overboard in a wrapped sheet. She could taste the blood in her mouth as she blinked herself out of it. Then she looked over at Shavai as she sat looking thoughtfully at a book. Megan pushed it more towards Shavai so she could see the title of the book. Before she could see anything, Shavai slammed the book shut on Megan's fingers and hit it against her forehead. Megan stumbled backwards. "Damn! What was the for?!" Shavai just shrugged and went back to the book. Not even looking up, she replied "You touched my book." Megan looked at Jaden as she almost fell over laughing at Megan. "I didn't know you could read." Jaden looked back at a couple of gold coins in her hand. "Appearantly the euphnic's been giving our little Shavai lessons." With that, Shavai threw the book at Jaden's face. Jaden fell over onto the deck. "Owies."

Will looked as the burials took place. He remembered there being six casualties, but there were seven bodies. "Jack, why are there more bodies than casualties ?" Jack looked at Will then at the crew throwing bodies over. "One of them had somekind of poisoning. Terrible way to go." With that he took a drink out of his flask. "So is drinking yourself to death." Will muttered. Jack turned sharply and threw his pistol at him. "You mind saying that a little louder?" Will gulped and picked up Jack's gun. "Or do I have to give you an old fashioned flogging?" Will gave a slight laugh. "Oh please, Jack. You're not my father." Jack stepped up to Will and grabbed him by his shirt and bent him over and began spanking him with the flat side of his sword. "What did you say?!" The whole crew began to laugh as Jack paddled away on Will. Shavai ran to his side "Captain Sparrow?! What for the sake of all the rum in the world are you doing?!" Jack let Will go. "Nothing. Honestly, nothing. Savvy?" Will stepped behind Jack nearer to the side of the ship. Jack flung his arms out hitting Will. "Would I hurt this defencless euphnic?" He pinched Will's cheek. Will turned bright red and slapped Jack's hand away. "I am not a euphnic! Would you people stop calling me that?!"

Jacinda yelled at Will from her spot on the mast "I'll believe it when I see it!" Will blushed and threw a bottle at her narrowly missing her. "Put up or shut up!" She yelled back at him. Will realized he would never get her that way, so he steadily walked over and began climbing the mast. "Oh lord." She looked down and saw Will approaching. Jack looked up and saw them both "That's it, Will! Be a fornicator!" Shavai came over and pulled his ear. "Ow, ow, ow. Ok, I admit it." Shavai pulled harder on his ear. "Ouch! Ok, it was not a nice thing to say!" Shavai pinched his ear "Alright! Will, I'm sorry!" Jack slapped Shavai's hand and felt his ear to make sure it was still entact. "Always did say she could fight with the best of them." Megan muttered laughing as she heard Jacinda's screams "Monkey gone mad!" She yelled.

Jaden looked into the darkness of the cell, trying to spot Demeta. "Demeta." She called out, she saw the candle flickering in the corner of the cell. "I'm right here, tell me, where else would I go?" Jaden looked at her thoughtfully and reminiscing. "To ransack and destroy another village and kill the children and people who live there, perhaps?" Jaden felt an urge to take her head off right there. She wondered how Megan felt. If she felt this way and her family wasn't killed by her, how did Megan feel?

Megan looked at Shavai "Did you see Brandon when we were attacked?" Shavai shook her head no. "All I saw were the creat- wait a moment, wasn't Brandon the name of that boy you were engaged to?" Megan shook her head. "Right before he almost killed me. When Jaden found me and we found you." Shavai snickered a little. "You mean it was hard to find me drunk in an alley?" Megan laughed a little and a tear went down her cheek. "Shavai..." She said and her voice began to shake. Shavai looked back at her "Yes?" She managed to say after a moment. Megan said nothing, looking inside herself for the right words. Shavai reminded her "Shavai what?" Megan looked at her "I'm scared." Her voice shook as she pronounced the words. "He said he was going to kill you and Jaden." Shavai gave Megan a hug. "It's ok. After all those bottles of rum, you think one man with a sword is gonna kill Shavai Hopkins and Jaden Roachelle?" Megan laughed a little. Shavai released her after a moment and smiled. "Trust me, Megan, we're not going anywhere soon." Megan sighed. "I hope you're right. I'll never forgive myself if something happens to either of you." Shavai smiled lightly. "Megan, if we do die, it just happens. Pirates never really die. It's just a small voyage after this one. And me and Jaden will wait on the dock for all eternity if we have to. We're not gonna leave you." Megan gave Shavai a small hug.

Jaden looked at Demeta. "Why were you with Roberts?" Demeta looked annoyed "I told you, he kidnapped me." Jaden looked as though a lightning bolt struck her. "Why didn't you escape?" Jaden asked. Demeta smirked at Jaden "Let me ask you something. Before all this began, what happened to your family?" Jaden shifted her standing postion uncomfortably "They were killed." Demeta ran her hand through the flame and corrected her. "Uh uh uh. You didn't finish. You were with them, weren't you?" Tears sprang to Jaden's eyes. "Yes." She answered barely audiable. "Why were they killed?" Demeta continued smiling at Jaden. "For no reason, we were taken in the middle of the night. I was twelve years old." Demeta shifted her crossed legs. "They took you on their ship and kept you there?" Jaden blinked and quickly wiped the tears away. "Yes, for three months. They killed my father and tortured my mother." Demeta stood up and walked calmly towards the bars. "They did unspeakable things to you, didn't they? And they did the same to your mother, didn't they?" Jaden's voice began shaking. "They raped my mother and they shot her when she was no use to them." Demeta stood about two inches from Jaden's face. "Then you stabbed one of the crew and made your escape with a lifeboat." Jaden's hand clenched into a fist. "I had no one left and they would've killed me, too. There was only one woman on the deck and she looked," Jaden's eyes lit fires in them and stared into Demeta's icy grey ones. "Just. Like. You." she stated as she got hold of her sword. Demeta smiled and beamed in her face. "Prove it." She said in a quiet tone. "I don't have to, you'll give yourself away. And when that time comes, I'm going rip your heart out of your chest so you can see how black it is before you die and go to hell." More tears of anger welled up in her eyes as she slammed a dagger into the wall as she walked back up to the deck.

Demeta chuckled to herself "See you, there."


	13. Jaden's Tears

Chapter 13: Jaden's Tears

(Day 4)

Megan walked behind the cook as he prepared the food for the crew. Walking beside him, she stole an apple. "So, must be hard actually havin ta replace a man who just died, correct?" She smirked a little trying just to tease him. He didn't seem to notice. "Not really.How'd he die anyway?" He paused for a moment as he chopped up a carrot. Megan grinned "Horribly. He was the only cook we had and he was poisoned by his own cooking, but the only strange thing was the fact that nobody else was killed by eating the same thing. One thing's for sure though," Megan stopped to take a bite of her stolen apple. "We'll find whoever did this and sentence them to the same fate, if not, worse." She took another bite. She suddenly noticed a small vial right behind the small basket of fruit. She looked carefully at it until she realized she couldn't see the label on it. She tilted her head to her side. Trying to see it even better, she leaned further to one side on the balls of her feet. The chef, Marion, began to dice the carrots until he noticed her leaning over out of the corner of his eye. He went back to chopping when there was a loud crash. He looked behind himself and saw nothing until he looked down where he was looking and saw Megan had lost her balance and fell onto the ground.

Megan laughed it off as she got to her feet. Marion looked down at her, unamused. "Yes. Well, I'll be right back." He quickly left the room before Megan could respond. "Sure! It's not like I was trying to talk to you or anything." Megan stated sarcastically to the silence. Then she saw her oppertunity to see what the vial contained. She walked over to it quickly, searching with her eyes trying to be quick before he returned. Then the letters struck her like a bolt of lightning. C-Y-A-N-I-D-E. Megan gasped and ran to the main deck.

Will sat speaking to Jack at the front of the ship, when suddenly, Jack got a gleam in his eye and a smile on his mouth. Before Will could ask any questions, his world went black. Shavai stood holding her hands against Will's eyes. She cleared her throat and lowered her voice "Guess who?" Will snickered "Alright. I guess 'Who'." He said as a reply. Shavai removed her hands and ran one hand over his hair and wrapped her fingers in his ponytail. Jack rolled his eyes "Go on, kiss. We all know you're going to." Shavai shrugged her shoulders and leaned over to Will and gave him a kiss and he happily replied to it with one of his own. Jack looked disgusted and turned his back so he was staring out onto the sea. Jaden came up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist. He smiled to himself then quickly turned grim hoping to throw everyone off. Jaden looked back at Shavai and Will "Be careful. Wouldn't want to get stuck that way, now would we?" They broke their kiss. They all laughed as Megan approached them panting. "Jaden! I know. Who is. Poisoning. Everyone." She spoke between each pant. Jack, Will, and Shavai came to attention hearing her say those words. "Megan, no one did anything. Sometimes you just don't cook things enough, or they've gone bad or-" Before she finished, Megan cut her off. "But I've got proof!" Jack looked at her very seriously "And what's your proof, Meg?" He asked her half tilting his head at her. Megan finally caught her breath "There's a bottle of cyanide on one of the counters in the kitchen." Will stood up "I'll find it." With that he walked off to the kitchen. Shavai slowly stepped sideways "Yeah... and he'll need help if he gets in any trouble." She ran after him. Megan and Jaden looked at each other. "Oh dear, they're going to defile the food..."

Mr. Gibbs walked over to Jack holding a tray of food. "Jack. Demeta be wantin to see ya." Jack looked over in that direction. "Hmm. Sounds simple enough." He said as he shook his head to dismiss Gibbs. He placed his hat on and walked below deck to her cell. When he got there, she got up and went to the bars where Jack was standing. "Captain Sparrow. I know I never got the chance to properly thank you for rescuing me the other day and well, I wanted you to have this." She outstretched her hand and offered a gold band ring. Jack looked at it. It was very enticing with weird markings on the outside of it that appeared to be 7 slashes in it. Jack got hold of the ring and Demeta got hold of him. Quickly she pulled him towards her and gave him a deep kiss. When Jack finally pulled away, they heard a glass crash to the ground. Jaden stood in the doorway. "No, no, believe me;" Jack said as he started walking towards her "It's not what it looks like." Jaden ran back up the stairs, tears welled up in her eyes. Demeta rubbed her mouth with her fingertips as she watched Jack go after her. Jaden stood by the edge of the deck trying to show she could keep her calm. She had her first regrets about going on this adventure. She took the necklace from around her neck and held it in her hand over the edge. It would serve Jack right if she dropped it. "Jaden. Please let me explain." Jaden continued looking over the edge "There's nothing to explain. She's a woman, you're a womanizor and the two seem to go together very well appearantly." Jack held his finger infront of her face "No. She kissed me! I didn't want her to!" Jaden looked unconvinced at him "Well you were sure as hell putting up one hell of a fight!" The whole crew stood watching. They all stared in wide eyes as they saw the first woman to ever get jealous over Jack Sparrow that was really doing something about it. She slammed her dagger into the ship's side railing "I can't talk to you right now, Jack. If I do, I'll kill you." Jack immediatly backed off. Megan watched in complete interest as she stood beside Anna Maria.

Jaden looked out onto the ocean as a tear rolled down her cheek. She closed her eyes and sunk to the floor. Leaning against the side of the ship and she began to cry. She drew her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs, burying her face in her legs, sobbing. It was like some horribly sad drama soap-opera. The whole crew watched in complete horror as Jack marched off to his quarters. Megan ran over to Jaden and gave her a small hug. "Shh. It's gonna be alright. He's just a man after all." Jaden wiped her tears away and looked at Megan "I know." She stated as she wiped more tears away. "But it was so wonderful." Megan gave a sigh as the thought of her and Brandon came back to her memory. She clenched a fist behind Jaden's back as she continued hugging her. "I know. But all fairy-tales must end sometime."


	14. A Pirate's Life For Me

****

Chapter 14: A Pirate's Life For Me

---------- ----- ---- --- **(Day 5)** **---- -- --- -- -- -- - - -**

Shavai and Will looked around, but could not find a thing. Marion stood annoyed with his arms crossed every five minutes asking them if they're satisfied. "I'm sorry Marion, but this is for Captain Jack." Marion shook his shoulders "What's for Jack?" Will shoved Marion against the counter and padded him down searching his pockets. Marion's face turned to one of shock and extreme uncomfort. Shavai cleared her throat "Um, yes, I think there's nothing here." Shavai and Will went back up to the dock to tell everyone what they had found and Marion took off his bandana and pulled out the vial from it's place tucked under the knot in the back of it. He smiled at the vial and went to the pot he was preparing to cook the food in and began to delicately lace the inside of it.

Shavai and Will walked normally back to Jack. Jack looked anxious to hear the news. But before anything could be said, Jacinda was heard yelling "Kat, ho!" And she quickly climbed down and made a leap over the ship's edge into the water. Jack, Megan, Shavai, Will and half the crew ran to the edge to see a small lifeboat in the distance and a person swimming towards Jacinda. They caught up with each other and made their way back to the ship. "Well, maybe we should let them drown." Shavai stated seeing them. Jaden walked over keeping a distance between herself and Jack at all times. Shavai looked at Jack then at how far down from him Jaden was. This perplexed her because they were always together. She tugged on Will's sleeve and pointed to Jack and Jaden. Will looked confused as well. The crew lowered a rope and brought Jacinda and her friend up onto the ship. Jack looked a little alarmed seeing Jacinda with a new person just brought in from sea. "Ey', who be she?" Mr. Gibbs asked as they circled around the new girl. "This is Katherine." Jacinda pointed at herself and had her other hand pointing towards Katherine. Shavai's attention stayed on Jaden and Jack. This was not normal.

Later that night, Shavai drew a circle on the deck with some oil from a hurricane lamp and muttered some words. Inside the circle a small fire began to start that stayed flat and within the confines of the circle. She saw Demeta slamming Jaden's head into a wall, and she saw herself being stabbed through her side with a sword. It would not let her see anymore. She continued staring at the demolished circle and thought. Demeta was behind everything. She didn't know how, but she was. Without delay she headed down the stairs to Demeta's cell. Before she finished getting down the stairs she was greeted by a voice that seemed to come from all directions in the dark. "Hello, gypsy." Shavai looked around in the dark and saw a spark light a candle and illuminate the face she was looking for. Shavai sneered at her "Hello, wench." Demeta seemed unimpressed "I saw that little ritual you've just performed. Very sweet - trying to defend your friends, when you won't even save yourself in the end." Shavai's eyes widened. "How do you know what I saw?" Shavai was suprised, if she could feel anything at all. "I'm Demeta. I know everything." Shavai gave a glare that could've made the Devil whimper. "I know about you as well. You and the fact that it was you that commanded the whole battle back there. It wasn't Roberts." Shavai said as she added shaking her head. Demeta smirked "Very good. But I have a proposition for you." Shavai cut her off immediatley "Not interested." Demeta continued as thought she didn't hear a thing. "Very well, but how would your friends feel if they were to mysteriously find out about your heritage?" She paused to let it sink in "Where you come from, the fact you use magic just as I do...that your mother killed Jaden's family." Shavai shook her head and raised a clenched fist to Demeta "She did not. She died AFTER that happened!" Demeta smiled as she calmly walked over to Shavai and touched her hand. As soon as the contact was made, Shavai's mind was filled with the images of Jaden's family's murders, as though she had been there and overlooking them. When she saw Jaden whipped and beaten, it brought tears to her eyes. One of her best friends was being hurt. But the images were false. They were mere memories transferred from Demeta to Shavai.

"They won't believe you." Shavai said through clenched teeth. Demeta's charactoristic smirk came back about her face "True, but you how do you think Jaden will feel if she sees those images and I tell her that I took those from your mother when I met her." It wasn't a question at all. She stated the plan to Shavai, already knowing her emotions about it. "Jaden's my friend. She won't believe you." Demeta stared in Shavai's eyes "True, but Jack and the rest of them will. And when you have the captain of a ship, and the crew believing you, the rest soon follow." Shavai knew she couldn't win. All she was able to do at that point was deny. She wasn't taught anymore in the ways of magic, she left before she could complete training. Shavai sighed and turned towards the stairs "What must I do?" Demeta grinned. "Simple: Dissappear. Take a lifeboat and never come back. Unless of course, you would rather break Jaden's heart on how your mother was the one that murdered her family. Shavai took a glass bottle from a desk near the door and threw it at Demeta through the bars. "I'm not going to do that. I'm staying and that's final." Shavai began the walk back up the stairs, stilled by Demeta's final words to her "Your mistake."

Later at dinner, Shavai couldn't eat. Jaden, Megan, Will and Jack all had problems. In relationships, or other areas in life. The past, it seemed, was not at rest and was about to break out and destroy them all. Katharine and Jacinda sat drinking rum together, doing their hair in dread locks, and also catching up on what they missed. Jaden and Shavai's heart almost jumped when they saw Jack letting Demeta walk around deck, uncuffed, escorted by him. Jaden became envious as she saw them whispering together all night. But, nothing, no matter how clever could get Shavai's eyes off the ring around Jack's finger that Demeta had given him. Jaden walked up to Jack "What in the seven hells is the matter with you!" Jack stood back shocked. "What are you talking about?" Demeta stood behind Jack a little entertained by this on-going soap-opera. "You're letting the prisoner wonder around without any control over her?!" Jack's eyelids almost shut everything out. If only they could. "Of course, I have control over her." He said as he swayed a little and motioned to his pistol. They had by now caught the attention of the whole crew, who tried to keep watch and eat their dinners. Marion and Megan had dissappeared for quite sometime in the kitchen. "She has control over you, Jack?! Don't you see?" Demeta stood back staring profusely at Jack. Jack reached out and pushed Jaden against the wall. Jaden began to scream as Jack began to choke her and bash her head against the wall. Jacinda, Shavai and Katherine got to their feet and attempted to pull Jack off of her. "Jack, have you lost your bleedin' mind!" Jacinda yelled at Jack as she pulled on his arm. Katherine kicked the back of his legs trying to knock him down "She doesn't owe ya any money, mate!" Shavai punched him in the face and made him let go, grabbing his hurting nose. Jaden fell to the ground gasping for air and pulled herself up. "Shavai.... I wanna ... go home." Jaden choked out the words. She began to walk off one way with Jacinda and Katherine. Before they got too far, Katherine raced back and stomped on Jack's foot. Jack winced in pain.

Megan cornered Marion with her sword. "I know you poisoned the food and this time, you won't get away." Marion took some salt and threw it in Megan's eyes and ran up to the deck. "Shavai! He's getting away!" Shavai heard the distant cry. She and most of the crew available took off running after Marion, cornering him on both sides of the ship so he couldn't get away. He stood cornered and trapped as the crew continued moving towards him. Shavai and Megan stood side-by-side "Who do you work for?" Marion looked at them both and took his chances by jumping in the water. Megan sighed as she walked over, aimed and cocked her pistol and shot him in the head. The water bubbled as his body went under. They had no idea who he worked for, and now he was dead. Dead men don't tell tales.

Shavai ran back to Jack and grabbed him by his shoulders almost forcing him into the water. "Who the hell do you think you are! She's corruptin' your mind Jack!" Jack looked back at Demeta who tried to look as innocent as she possibly could. "Jack, I'm telling you! She's taking control of you!" Jack shook his head and began to break out in a cold sweat. Shavai let go of him and took a step back. "Jack," She tried to speak as calm as possible "Give me the ring." Jack looked down at it and looked back at Demeta who tried to be inconspicuous as she whispered something under her breath. Jack looked back at Shavai and swung his sword over his head at her. She moved out of the way and swung her sword ontop of his, then kicked him in the chest, launching him backwards without his sword. Shavai threw her sword to the side and pounced ontop of him as she tried to pull the ring off his finger. Jack began to knee her in the stomach. The crew began to yell at them both to knock it off, Demeta stood back and out of the way. Her plan had failed, but there was always alternatives. Shavai finally twisted the ring off and threw it off the side of the ship and into the water as if her life depended on it. And it did. Jack stood and caught his balance on the side. He almost fell over a couple of times, but finally got himself together. Pain coursed through his body and he had no recollection of doing anything. He walked over and put his sword back in it's place. He looked around at the crew. He struggled with himself to remember as he saw Demeta standing just to the side. He pointed one crooked finger at her "What's she doing here?" He demanded to know. Mr. Gibbs looked at Jack "Have you lost your mind? Don't you remember anything , Jack?" Jack shook his head "All I remember's getting kissed by Madame Devil over there and then...that's it."

Shavai caught her breath as she saw Jaden, Megan, Jacinda and Katherine walk up, hearing the commotion. Demeta walked to Jaden. "I have something you need to see." She beamed at Shavai and touched Jaden's hand. Jaden was brought back to the place she had been trying to escape from the day it happened. She, too, saw the images as though they had been burned in her mind from someone's point of view like someone who had watched the entire thing. She stepped away from Demeta with anger and fear in her eyes. "What the hell did you do!?" She yelled at Demeta as she pulled out her sword and put it to Demeta's throat. Demeta chuckled as she felt her back pushed against the side of the ship. "I thought you should see the memories," She paused to look back at Shavai's face. It was a look of utter horror. She continued "That I got from Shavai's gypsy mother when I met her." Jaden threw Demeta to the side and turned quickly to Shavai. Megan stood in complete disbelief. "Is it true?" Jaden looked at Shavai hurt "Did your mother kill my family?" She tried to stay calm as the tears ran down her face. Shavai tried to answer "She was a gypsy but-" Jaden cut her off. "Shut up! Did she do it!?" Shavai sighed. "No." Jaden completely blacked out and heard Demeta's voice in her head "You know in your heart she's lying. All gypsies do. Liars and theives the lot of them." Jaden blankly stared at Shavai and replied "You're lying. The woman on board was you." Demeta quickly replied "Was it really? All you saw was a sillhoutte. You saw nothing more than a shadow. It was Shavai's mother. You know..." Jaden stepped closer to Shavai and poked the sword to her throat. Jack stood back in terror as the calm sea turned into a horrific storm. Lightning ruled the grey skies and thunder overtook erupting emotions. Will stood infront of Shavai and begged Jaden to put down the sword. "Please, Jaden. She's your friend." Will pleaded as the rain soaked them all. "It wasn't her mom, Jaden. It couldn't have been." Megan added, hoping to calm her friend down. "You must kill her." Demeta began to take control of her mind blocking out her conscience. "But, you even admitted it was you." Jaden countered Demeta's words. "No, I said for you to prove it. I didn't admit to anything...I had to protect you from the truth. But now the real witch has come out of hiding. She's behind it all. You must kill her..."

Jaden began to raise her sword to Will, who stood solemnly. He wouldn't budge. Even as the ship rocked back and forth and caused practically everything to move, who stood stationed like a mountain. Megan looked at Jaden as the wind made the rain sting her eyes. She would not allow her family to be destroyed like this. She looked at Demeta and saw her mumbling incoherent things. Megan knew what she had to do. She walked to Demeta, and quickly using the handle of her pistol, knocked her unconcious. Jaden dropped her sword and noticed what she was doing. Jacinda fainted in Mr. Gibbs' arms, who in turn, let her fall to the floor. Jaden sank to her knees, sobbing. Shavai walked over and gave her a hug and told her everything would be alright. Megan came over and joined the hug. Shavai pulled down Will and Megan pulled Jack into it. Everyone began to join in. Jack looked around them after a warm fuzzy moment and saw everybody in the crew who was joined in. "Don't just stand around! If we're to reach the amulet, we must keep moving! Go you dogs!" Everyone ran to their post. Jaden looked up as the clouds began to move away from the sky, revealing some of the brightest stars they'd ever seen. Jack looked and saw the knocked out Demeta on the deck and shook his head. "Mr. Gibbs! Escort Demeta back to her cell and lock her up. No one is to go down there alone." Jaden walked over to him. "And uh, no one is to accept gifts from her, either." Mr. Gibbs smiled glad Jack learned his lesson. "Aye, Cap'n." He said as he dragged her back to her cell. Jaden pulled Jack by the collar of his shirt down to her face and gave him a deep kiss. Megan rolled her eyes and the crew applaused. Jack pulled Jaden closer by the waist and continued their kiss. Shavai smiled and gave Will one of her own. And the applause was interrupted "We pillage, we plunder we rifle, and loot, drink up me hearties yo ho! We kidnap and ravage and don't give a hoot, drink up me hearties yo ho!" The whole crew turned and looked as Jacinda and Katherine leaned off the mast and continued singing. The couples broke off their kisses and joined the crew and the girls "Yo ho, Yo ho! A Pirate's life for me!"


	15. Revelations

****

A Few Good Years to Be Alive

Chapter 15: Revelations

---------- ----- ---- --- **(Day 6)** **---- -- --- -- -- -- - - -**

With one day to go before reaching the island, they had nothing to do but prepare and the most important thing on Shavai's mind: Confess. True there was no preist or preacher on the entire ship to tell their sins to, so they would have to tell eachother and hope that would suffice. Katherine and Jacinda stayed at their post on the mast. "I see something.... blue." Jacinda said as Katherine curiously looked around. "Um.. ocean?" Jacinda slapped her on the back "Ye'r right - boring isn't it?"

Shavai looked around at her friends and Will. She knew from her vision this would probably be he last grand adventure. She knew her death was immanent and she wanted to go with a clear conscience. She was scared about confessing everything, about her heritage, her life and how she felt about everything, but it had to be done. She looked down at her feet as a sudden sadness washed over her. Something was going to make her break her promise to Megan that she would never leave her. As for Jaden's future; it was uncertain. Shavai knew it was extremely possible that Brandon would kill Megan, but she had hoped that, of course, it would be the other way. She knew they all had to be together or everything would fall apart. Megan had really nothing left, anywhere. And Jaden's family was already dead and Jack's love for her was also nothing more than an uncertainty at this point. The main point that kept coursing through her veins was how would she decide to confess. Perhaps they all shared the fact there was something they had to tell eachother, or maybe it really was just her.

Megan also shared a look of uncertainty as she watched Shavai try to hide her wandering eyes that were filled with sadness and frustration. She knew something was going on in the unpredicatable mind of Shavai. Jaden had a strange look of bewilderment and confusion as though she was a child looking at everything for the first time, unsure of her existence. Megan's thoughts wondered about the future, it was afterall the last day before the end of this adventure. She wondered if there was anymore to come. This would certainly be one story to tell one's grandchildren. 'If she lived long enough to see those years' she thought. Her mind suddenly wondered to how lonely she had become. Jaden and Shavai had somebody, but ever since Brandon, she found it hard to trust anybody other than her two friends. She liked only having a certain number of people as her friends, she was never lonely in that department and she could always have someone to confide in. But her mind kept trailing back to the pairing of things, Will and Shavai, Jack and Jaden, her and .... nobody. Her mind became infuriated with the betrayals, but most of all with Brandon. He had promised to kill her and her friends. She could picture it in her mind and made her sick to think about it. She, too, longed to confess that she was scared. She had always been the strong one, she was sure no one would look at her the same again. She wished she could understand why Brandon did what he did, and although he did almost kill her, she just didn't understand. She still loved him, and that could be the worst thing of all. She wanted to confess that she still loved Brandon, despite all that had been done to her.

Jaden sat and leaned against the wall of the rocking ship. She wondered how she could tell Jack that she really loved him and longed to spend the rest of her life with him, be it just until tomorrow. She had been practicing with the wall and never got a response. She was thankful walls couldn't talk, or else she would've been rejected numberous times. She stayed awake all night thinking whether or not this was just a crush, or if this was the real thing. She had felt a thing she thought was love many times, but she never had a feeling so deep she thought she would be able to live with herself. She looked at her wrists and took notice that the wounds she inflicted on herself were healed. She hadn't cut herself in the longest time through those days that she didn't notice until now. Jack made her feel as though when she hurt herself, she hurt him; and for once, she didn't want to. She could finally look at herself and smile. She twisted her fingers through her hair thoughtfully, as she pondered more ways to tell Jack. A thought then struck her: What if Jack didn't feel the same way she did? What if he saw her as the momentary conquest and nothing more? She thought, that if she did get a rejection from Jack like that, she would not be able to continue living. She finally admitted to herself that she had walked away in the past because she was actually scared. 'Pirates,' She thought to herself looking at her worn out shoes 'Are born to take risks. If I can go on a quest like this, why should I be so scared now?' She brought her knees to her chest and crossed her arms over them and sank her head into her elbow and forearm. 'I'm a coward... that's why.'

Jack looked at Will as he shifted his feet to change weight off one and onto the other. He wondered why he found himself thinking of Jaden all the time. Without anything to trigger thinking of her, he still thought about her. He saw the sky earlier that day and found himself thinking about her spirit. He looked into the water of the sea and found himself thinking how the only thing that even came close to matching the hazel color of her eyes in just the right way. He turned the wheel to Mr. Gibbs and walked over to one side by Will. He searched Will's face for some sign if he was going through the same thoughts, but to his dismay, found none.

Will found himself staring vacantly at the side of Shavai's head admiring how the sunlight filtered through her multi-braided hair and made a halo around it. She looked as though she was a distraction as Cupid shot arrow after arrow through his heart. He felt horrible knowing that Elizabeth had been dead for a year and he already found himself wondering about the possibility of another woman in his life. One night of absolute Heaven was held with her and it had been the sweetest sin. The feel of her rich skin, and the way they kissed and how it seemed all time had slowed to a stop just for the two of them to have more time. Shavai turned to look at Will, and his heart began to speed with a sudden rush of adrenaline. Their eyes locked and at that moment, he knew it was love, problem was where and when he would find the courage to tell her.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Jacinda called everyone together on the main deck of the ship and soon enough, everyone including herself had been accounted for. She had felt everyone's silent treatment and she couldn't take it anymore.

"All right. Now that everyone's here, it's time." Everyone looked at Jacinda as she spoke clearly and appeared to be out of her long-termed drunken stupor. Jack looked amazed at her. Jacinda leaned over and put her hand on the side of the boat as she began to stumble over her own feet although she wasn't going anywhere. Jack suddenly decided to keep his mouth shut on congradulating her before she embarrassed herself.

"Let's start this off as a game." Jaden, Jack, Will, and Shavai looked at Jacinda with hard concentrating eyes. Megan tried hard to keep her eyes diverted to the sky or floor, but never at Jacinda. "This is called Pirate Confessional. We'll go around this little circle and tell something we've been wanting to tell for a while now." Everybody looked around at the formation of the group and how they were randomnly scattered. "Well... around the square...or triangle...or whatever shape everybody's in." She placed her hand on the side of the ship standing inbetween Shavai and Mr. Gibbs. "Well, since nobody's going to- I guess, I'll start." She cleared her throat looking uncertainly at everybody "I... am a monkey!" Katherine looked down from the mast at everybody, she began to make her way down the mast, aware Jacinda was making a fool of herself. "Oh, I'm sorry, that was JACK'S confession." She smiled in his direction as the crew snickered.

Mr. Gibbs stepped by Jacinda and smiled "I have something, tha' needs ta be confessed." He quickly grabbed Jacinda before she realized what was going on and kissed her full-fledged on her lips. She finally pushed away and spit on the ground as Mr. Gibbs had a humongous grin on his unusually smug round face. Jacinda pointed a finger at him and glared "You had better hope I don't remember that tomorrow!" Jack burst out laughing and leaned onto Jaden for support, who also laughed profusely. Megan rolled her eyes and Shavai kept her grin to herself. Shavai then took a coin from her pocket and threw it overboard "Go get it, Jass!" She called. Jacinda crossed her hands over her chest "Honestly, how pathetic do you think I am?" Megan took a tin flask from her pocket and tossed it overboard.

"Shiny!" Jacinda cried out as she made a leap for it, but fell into the ocean right after it. Katherine saw her friend go over and chased and jumped over into the water after her friend. "Jacinda!" She yelled out into the water below. They both popped back up and took gasps of air. "What in the hell is the matter with you?!" Katherine yelled as her hand reached out of the water and slapped Jacinda across the face. "Shiny ... gone." Jacinda said pittifully as she looked down into the darkened sea. "You could've drowned ye damned moron!" Jacinda resented the statement. "I'll have you know, I could've gotten that!" Kat rolled her eyes "Sure. And one day men will fly among the clouds." They stared at each other for a moment and burst out laughing. "Oh yeah, like that's ever going to happen!"

Back on the deck, the crew had recovered and the rest of the crew in the circle stared nervously at one another. After a while Jack broke the silence. "So...I guess we should all get ready for tomorrow." He turned to walk away. "You know, make out our wills and such." He muttered. His heart beat faster at the thought of owning that precious covetted treasure that would make him the most feared and dangerous pirate of them all. Jaden turned her back. Shavai came over and nudged her.

"Tell him." Shavai said as she continued to nudge her friend.

"Tell him what?" Jaden tried in vain to be confused. Shavai saw right through it. It was a thin disguise and Shavai was one of the best liars in the seas, Jaden's was not fooling anybody. She was too obvious and her eyes gave her hidden knowledge away like a gunshot in mime school. Shavai lifted her foot and arched her knee as though she was about to march away. Jaden thought she won the battle. She didn't. Shavai's foot came crashing down ontop of hers. She gave out a cry as she yelled "Jack!"

To her dismay, he heard her and turned immediately upon hearing his name. Jaden rushed to him. "In light of the situation, I have something I need to confess too." Will, Shavai, and Megan watched with interest. Neither Jaden nor Jack saw their looks, too concerned with themselves. "I... I ... I- what I mean to say is- I..." She stammered over her words as though it was a fatal car collision. She practiced many times with a wall but never decided on a final way to put it. Shavai threw a coin at her back, pegging her in the shoulder. "I love you!" She screamed out and rushed into him, wrapping her arms around him and smuthering her face in his chest. She didn't want to wake up from where she was right now. All that had happened, she decided, was worth it after all. 'Please, God.' She pleaded in her mind 'Let me stay like this forever.' Eventually Jack wrapped his arms around her.

He knew that she loved him.

She didn't have to say a thing. Her smile and looks towards him said it all, and all at once, he thought he was going to cry. Will walked over to Shavai and hugged her close to his chest and watched Jack and Jaden. Jaden raised her hopeful eyes to meet Jack's watery ones. "I- I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Even if it's just until tomorrow. Because, I feel if I don't have you in my life, it's not worth living anymore. I feel that any adventure on this earth is empty without you, and I would trade the world, the sea, anything, to have you because-" She was suddenly stammering and not beginning to make any sense. Jack cut her mouth shut with a kiss. He then rested his forehead against hers with both of their eyes closed. "I know exactly what you mean, love." He whispered to her in a raspy voice.

Will and Shavai looked at eachother. Shavai began to tremble. But she knew what must be said, and she had to say it. "Will, you know I love you, and I never want to leave you," she cut herself off to try to steady her trembling voice. Jack and Jaden walked closer to Shavai and Megan completed their little circle. "I-I had a vision of what was going to happen tomorrow." Will's heart stopped. He could tell bad news was ahead. He paused on breathing for a moment. "I'm...I mean to say I- I'm ..." She tried to hold back her tears as she pushed the words from her throat out of her mouth. "I'm not going to make it." Will looked confused and hurt. "What do you mean 'Not going to make it?' Shavai, we have already made it. It's just one more day-" Shavai cut him off.

"No, I mean to say, that, I'll go on that island, but I'm not going to come off alive." Jaden's hands rushed to her mouth as she gasped. Shavai was a marvelous fighter. Infact, though a drunk at times, she had never seen one person beat her in a sword match. No one that met up with Shavai's blade in anger, had escaped it alive. She couldn't lose. Will remembered the fight he had with her. He was renowned for his fighting skills, and a simple girl was able to take him down. He couldn't believe what he heard. The first person he had been able to love in a long time, was about to leave his life. Megan remembered her promise. The words repeated themselves in her head that Shavai had said only a few nights before "Trust me," Shavai had said "We're not going anywhere soon."

"I have something to say too." Megan gulped. "I don't think we should go after this treasure. I mean, the bad guys get it, so what? At least you guys will still be alive." Jaden and Shavai stared at her in disbelief. "This isn't the time to joke around." Shavai choked out, trying to bring back a little dose of humor. "Brandon said he was going to kill you all. I don't want him to do anything to hurt you guys!" She yelled out at them. Nobody knew how to react. "If we don't get this now," Jack said as he cradled Jaden "They'll surely come after us, later then. And they will be unstoppable." He added. Will shook his head agreeing with Jack. "Besides, they're dead." Jaden said dismissing it with her hand. Shavai saw in her vision they weren't the only ones that found the treasure, but she wasn't sure who the other party fighting them was. Or even if Roberts and his crew were really dead. Megan tried to give a small laugh trying to dismiss it. "I guess you're right." She said, her voice shrinking in volume. She sighed as she looked out ahead of them. "I guess you're right." She muttered, trying to convince herself. Brandon was dead. She should let the memories die and be buried with him.

'That chapter with him in my life is over.' She thought to herself. 'I need to move on.'

&&&&&&&&&&&&&

DAY 7

A light rain began to fall from the sky. A few drops began to fall scattered on the deck, although the sun seemed to smile half-heartedly from behind some clouds, it managed to stay shining as it lit a rainbow across the sky to one point in the ocean. A gold circle began to form in the water. Jack, Jaden, Jacinda, Katherine, Megan, Will, Shavai watched as the island began to pull itself out of the clutches of the grasping sea.

A few moments later, Shavai round herself running to the back of the ship where she saw everyone gathered. Something wasn't right. She got a familiar sense of deja vu as she remembered, the last time they had seen another ship. Sure enough, as she made her way through the crowd, Jack was at the very back with the scope looking through just as before. He shut it in anger as he stomped his way to the front of the ship "Why won't they just die!" He yelled back hoping someone would give him an answer. "I think they're already being dead once might have something to do with that." Jaden replied. Megan gulped in absolute horror as her mind flooded with fear as she went numb. She thought that chapter of her life was closed, and it appeared to just be beginning at the same time.

Jack smiled as the ship landed on the shore of the siland. He directed the crew to keep the enemy at bay. He saw through the telescope that the ships cannons were badly damaged or were missing. They wouldn't fire on them. Jaden, Megan, and Jack took Demeta as a captive into the cave where the treasure was hidden. She was going to test for any traps. Jacinda and Katherine were in charge of protecting the ship. In a little while, the island would resubmerge itself and the ship was the only way off the island. Will and Shavai led the fight against anyone else who set foot on the island. They were in charge of keeping everybody else out. They had finally arrived, now the only question left to be solved was would they make it off?

Bwahahahahaha... quite a cliff hanger no? lol, anyways, in the next chapter, one of the charactors may meet their doom. And ironically, the next chappy should be the second to the VERY last one. Sad isn't it? I know, I may make a second adventure, I just need an idea of what the next one should be about. The contents of this story were original, so, if you wanna help, just reply to this one with your idea. ThANKS for reading!


	16. Brandon's End

**A Few Good Years to Be Alive**

**Chapter 16: The Adventure That Came to an End Too Soon**

**- -- - - - -- - - - DAY 7- - - -- -- - - - - -**

Jack, Jaden, Megan and Demeta rushed behind a water fall, where the water from ontop of a mountain-like cliff hid an opening. They went inside the dark cave with nothing but a few torches to light the dimmed path that lied before them, leaving Will and Shavai along with the rest of the crew to keep the others from entering the cave until Jack could get the amulet. They panicked as they saw the ship with their enemies begin to crash onto land. The most unfortunate thing for the crew, was though they were corpses, they could not be killed ontill whoever put the spell on them was killed, which is why they had to kill Roberts.

Katherine and Jacinda took their 'borrowed' ship and set the other on fire. Their best guess on how they got another was waited until some unlucky ship passed their way and killed it's original passengers. Either way, they took all alchohol and burned Roberts ship and took off with theirs only to return with it later.

Jack led the way in the cave, followed by Jaden who held the rope that was tied onto Demeta's wrists. Megan followed behind her, keeping her sword drawn incase anything should happen. They had to move quickly to keep ahead of anyone else,but the rocks that they had to walk on were wet and shifted under their weight and got more difficult to climb as they ascended. Around 20 feet of climbing into the air near the top of the cave top, resembling a hollowed out valcano with a small mountain inside of it. Demeta smiled as images went through her mind, seeing Shavai gasping for air as her hand's grip let go on Will's. Megan's face filling with fear as a sword loomed above her chest. Jaden was hanging over the edge of the ground they walked up, bloody and bruised, hanging by her fingertips. And Jack falling from his position, as Roberts claimed victory holding the amulet in his hand.

Megan glanced ahead of her at Demeta's face. She saw the smile on her lips as her eyes glazed over and she stared blankly walking like a zombie. Megan rushed ahead and put her sword to Demeta's throat. "What the hell did you see?" Demeta kept smiling. "I saw how everything is and what will be. And it begins..." She paused for a moment as Jack and Jaden stared back at both of them. Suddenly, shots echoed through the cave as the battle between the ship's crews started. Demeta finished "Now."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Shavai and Will clashed swords against anybody that tried to kill them. Keeping their back to the cave, hoping to keep everyone out. They figured after the first five corpses, the only way to keep them down for good was to decapitate them. After a few moments, all was well, until Shavai and Will were just about the only two left keeping everyone out. Mr. Gibbs and the rest chased the others further down the island, away from the entrance. 6 against two were not fair odds. Especially when two of the six that remained, were Roberts and Brandon. Will took on two as he quickly decapitated one, and fought the other. Shavai looked well, until one got behind her and before she knew what was happening, she turned to slice that one's head off when the other that was infront of her, took his sword, and slammed the blade through her side. Will looked over as Shavai's eyes widened and a scream escaped her lips as she fell to the floor. He rammed his sword through the one infront of him as he charged to the one who had just harmed Shavai. He ran and sliced through him as though he were air and repeatedly stabbed him before leaving his sword and tending to Shavai. Brandon and Roberts ran into the cave. Will didn't care. He lifted Shavai onto his knees with tears in his eyes. He saw the ones that escaped her eyes and ran down her cheeks. Shavai grasped his hand, hoping to ease the pain as she began to go into shock.

He looked at the sword protruding from her, and wondered if he should remove it. But logic in him told him the truth: She was done for. If he pulled the sword out, she would bleed to death in a matter of seconds, and if he left it in, she might be able to hold on a little longer than she should. Shavai choked as she coughed up a little blood. She grasped Will's hand.

"How bad is it?" Shavai shook as her breath and heart sped up. Will smiled the best he could. "Nothing, you're- you're..." He turned his head and looked around. Nothing else sounded but the waves pounding on the sand. The wind blew slowly and gave him little comfort. "You're gonna be fine. You're gonna make it." Shavai knew he was lying. Her heart was breaking, she had found true love at long last, and just as it happened, she would die before her time and it would leave her alone. Things began to get hazy in her eyesight and everything began to turn against her. Will hugged her close. Her senses had beun to turn against her as she felt extremely cold as the warmth seeped from her and voices started to echo. "Will, I love you. I always have. And..." Will's smile dissappeared and tears fell automatically from his eyes. "Don't speak." He whispered. He knew in his mind, he broke a promise to never let anything happen to her. He failed.

Shavai didn't listen. "I- I never wanted to leave you. Thanks for making this adventure unforgettable. I just want one thing." Shavai's head turned to the side as her breaths became shallow and more spaced apart. Will shook her "Shavai. Shavai. Please, don't do this to me... not again." Shavai woke up again and gave a weak half-smile "Bury me with my flask." She gave a little chuckle. Will didn't. Shavai tilted her head to the side and stopped breathing.

Her grip loosened on his and she finally let go.

Will pulled the sword out and rocked her back and forth to his chest. "Please don't leave me..." He looked at her face. Her face was dirty from the sand and dirt, and the tears she cried made small clear paths like a river down her cheek. Will kissed her cheek and continued to rock her. He leaned his head on hers and felt his heart slowly tear apart, as his mind filled with her. He then looked to the sky, as though he saw God's face looking down in the sun and whispered quietly "I hate you."

Mr. Gibbs and the rest of the crew, had had a victory against Roberts for the mean time, and walked back to see Will kneeling with Shavai. They kept their distance as they noticed the white sand littered with the familiar color of red that soaked it. And at that instant, they knew. The men and women of the crew alike pulled their hats over their hearts as tears gathered in their eyes. Shavai was a pirate that embraced life to the fullest, and on that day as the sky turned to a deep hot pink that soaked the clouds, it looked as though the sun had been suddenly covered in blood. Time was running out and the day lost a great adventurer. The bodies that had not been decapitated yet, began to stumble towards them from their part of the island. Will looked at Shavai one last time as he got up and picked up his sword. He then led the crew racing towards the walking corpses with their swords raised.

&&&&&&&&&&&&

Jack and the rest trudged slowly up the cliff on their way to the amulet. Treasure of all kinds, gold and sliver littered every inch of ground. Another 30 feet up and they should be there. Jaden kept a tight hold on Demeta's cuffs. And Megan walked behind them closley as possible. Demeta needed a way to slow them down, so she finally decided to create a diversion. She put one foot infront of the other and tripped herself. Jaden let go of the rope for a moment and watched as Demeta went rolling down, past Megan. They all chased after her, swords drawn. She finally stopped on her back and laid there. Megan pointed her sword at Demeta's throat and pulled her up by one arm.

"No matter how magical you are, you still can't avoid being a clumsy oaf could you?" Megan yelled at her as Jaden and Jack slid down on their heels, almost losing their balance quite a few times. Jaden worried, she knew Demeta wouldn't trip, even if it was an accident, every move was calculated and planned in a very meticulous manner. "Why'd you do it, Demeta?! Answer me?!" Jaden yelled as one of her hands backhanded Demeta across the face making her fall once again and roll further down. Stopping against a pair of boots. Beside those boots, were another pair and they belonged to Brandon and Roberts.

Roberts pulled Demeta to her feet and cut through the rope with his sword, they all grinned at Jaden, Megan and Jack.

Jack began to head back up in hopes of beating the others, Roberts chased after him. Demeta threw some gold coins on the ground at Jaden's face. Jaden's hands went up to her face in defence, Demeta took the oppertunity to run up and kick her with both feet in hopes of knocking her over the edge. No such luck. Jaden caught a few feet short of the edge, but her sword fell over. Getting quickly to her feet she ran to Demeta and a punching war ensued, that quickly

Megan took off running after Roberts, Brandon caught sight of this and chased in hot persuit after her. Megan finally turned and their swords clanged extremely fast. "Shavai!" Megan yelled. Brandon looked down for a second as he continued to clash swords with her. "She can't hear you anymore." He laughed as she swung her sword at his feet and he easily jumped over it.

"You're so predictable!" He said as he used his foot to kick her away to the ground. "Nothing about you's changed." He said as he stood over her. She bashed his sword away as she got to her knees and jumped up, not for one moment letting her guard down. "What happened to you?!" She yelled hoping to get it through to him her concern as though some miracle would make him turn good again. They held their swords against each other over their heads. Both of them were using their feet and both hands. Brandon laughed in her face as he used his foot to kick her. "What do you want me to say?" He asked her as he bent on over to the floor and took her sword and tossed it over the edge. "I love you? Is that it?" He laughed in her face. "Don't flatter yourself. Why cheapen the meaning of the word? It's just such a shame you came all this way..." He took his sword as Megan cowered near the edge. "Just to die now."

Megan's eyes watered, not wanting to believe what she was hearing. Her heart ached. It couldn't be true. Not after all they'd been through thogether, the love they shared- the promises they made. Brandon slowly moved the sword down her throat just slow and close enough to her sking to make her begin to bleed. He looked over as he heard the screams from Jaden and Demeta.

An idea came to Brandon "Maybe I should keep you alive a little longer, Megan." He said with a silent mockery and sense of ridicule in his voice. "I mean, if not to watch your last best friend die, what are friends really for?"

Megan put the pieces of the puzzle together in her mind. _'Last best friend" - "Can't hear you anymore_" Brandon had said. They all repeated themselves in her head. One by one, panging themselves against her soul like a person being stoned. It hurt so deep, she disconnected from reality. A deep surrealism took over, and she found herself drowning all over again. Only this time, Jaden wouldn't be diving in to save her. She had to find her own way out of this one. The memory of Shavai stuck in her mind. Her friend was gone. Soon enough, she and Jaden would be joining her.

Unless.

Somehow in the one moment she blacked out, she blinked and found herself in the nightmare she was going through. The love of her life with a sword at her neck and forcing her to watch the demise of her best friend.

"What's the point?" She wondered to herself. "Shavai's not going to be there." Memories of good times with Jaden and Shavai came flooding back to her mind. Suddenly, her feeling to cry was replaced with anger and hatred. She watched as Brandon made the mistake of looking back at Demeta and Jaden fighting. She saw her chance and took it.

Grabbing the sword by the blade, she cut her hands badly on the palms, but didn't care. It was life or death. Megan threw the blade to the side as she pushed Brandon backwards on his back and began to punch him with all her strength. She pushed herself up as fast as she could. He fell to one side holding his bleeding nose and mouth. Megan kicked him with all her might in his side.

"That was for my family!" She kicked him once. "That was for trying to kill me!" She kicked him again. He struggled towards the sword that lay three feet away. Megan bent quickly and plunged it through him. "This is for Shavai!" Instantly, she felt remorse for what she did. She had already paid in years of her life for her sins. That was also when she was still innocent. Life wasn't fair, and in the middle of her life, she found for herself, sometimes there just wasn't a reason for anything.

She looked at his face and saw him softly chuckling. Brandon's eyes flashed a neon green and instantly tears gathered in his eyes and fell quickly. He began to cry. Megan's eyesight blurred through the salty tears that had gathered without her knowing. God himself, wasn't about to make her let go of him. Brandon blinked and looked up to see Megan's face.

He saw her through the way he used to. Megan was bruised and bleeding and looked as though she had just been through hell, and would have to return soon. He saw Megan as his own personal angel. The way the sun beamed through her hair and hit her highlights just right, making a halo around her head. She was a fallen angel. He didn't want to go now. He gave a weak smile, and she, half-heartedly, smiled back, quickly the tears ran down her cheeks when she blinked. Brandon wiped her tears away using his thumb holding her jaw.

"You should smile more often, your face wasn't meant to cry." He grimaced as a wave of pain hit him.

Megan looked at him and whispered "Please don't go."

Brandon looked at her, holding back tears. "Megan, I know I could never make it up for anything I've done to you...or all the time we've lost." He clenched her hand harder to try to make the pain subside. "But I want you to know, if I could, I would spend the rest of my life- making it up to you. I l- I love-" His head suddenly tilted to the side. He stopped breathing.

Megan looked at him for a moment. He was extremely pale and cold. She held her breath for a second, and shook him. "Brandon. Brandon?" She shook him a little bit longer and rested her head on his neck, getting her shirt in his blood. She didn't care. At that moment, she would've given anything, gone anywhere, and done anything to have him back. She let the tears fall down her face onto his chest and whispered "Yeah I know."

She took in a shaky breath and sighed.

"I love you, too."


	17. The Adventure That Came to An End

A Few Good Years to Be Alive  
  
Chapter 17: The Adventure That Came to an End Too Soon pt 2  
  
- -- - - - -- - - - DAY 7- - - -- -- - - - - -  
  
Jaden and Demeta fought to see from the tears that stung both of their eyes. This was a fight for life. They punched and kicked and pinched to get the other to let go as they got nearer and nearer to the edge. With each step one fate was about to be sealed and the other would see the light of day again. Their faces were bloody and scratched from each others nails and their hair was completely tangled. Jaden looked up towards where she saw Jack run off.  
  
Jack was still trying to run up with Roberts running a few feet behind him. The coins and strings of pearls they ran over was soaked from the water from being submerged on the island and slipped easier than it normally would and provided no good friction to run on. Still he tried to reach the treasure.  
  
Jaden continued to glare at Demeta though the blood on her forehead started to drip slowly into her eye, Demeta's mouth had swelled quite a bit from being punched so many times. Through clenched teeth Demeta screamed "What are you trying to prove! That you really are a pirate?! Why don't you just die with honor instead of hurting yourself further!" Jaden let one arm go from Demeta's neck and punched her right in the eye. "Because if I go," They were a few inches from the edge with both of them sideways trying to throw the other one off. "You're coming with me!" At that Jaden stepped the few inches towards the edge.  
  
Not expecting Jaden's move, Demeta fell off too. The only difference was Jaden was smart, and lucky, enough to have enough sense to grab hold of the edge. Demeta, unfortunately, had sense enough to grab one of Jaden's legs and held on. Immediately, Jaden screamed for help. The edge was not a good thing to grasp onto. It was wet, rock, and it was curved. Jaden's grip was slipping fast. "Let go of me!" Jaden commanded Demeta, as she kept her other leg out of reach and was slamming the one Demeta held onto into the rock, hard enough to make herself bleed. Demeta realized, there was no way Jaden was going to go up with her on her. She finally looked at the bottom of where they hung. A few inches of water, not a good place to try to get yourself out safely. "Jack!" Jaden screamed.  
  
Jack suddenly stopped hearing Jaden's screams. He turned and ran back to her. Then suddenly, he stopped and ran back to try to catch up to Roberts, then he turned and ran back. Then he ran forward then backwards again unable to make up his mind. And entire six months he had worked for, to try to find the location of the other necklace piece to find where the amulet was, and here was this girl he had fallen in love with in 7 days. He mumbled an obscenity under his lips and proceeded to run to Jaden's aid. He slid on his stomach to the edge as he saw her hands suddenly let go of the edge. He grabbed hold of her wrists as he tried to lift her up.  
  
"God, you've gotten heavy. Wait a moment- you're not...Are you?" He asked her. Jaden was stunned. He thought she was pregnant. How dare he insinuate that she was fat!  
  
"Jack, if I could, I'd slap the hell out of you. But I'm a little preoccupied." She kicked Demeta in the face with the other foot and broke her nose. Demeta suddenly let go and screamed as she plummeted to her death onto the rocks below. Jack and Jaden once they both got to their knees looked over at her broken and bleeding form. "Jack! The amulet! Why did you-" Jack cut her off with a kiss. Jaden's voice became softer "Why did you save me?" Jack looked into her violet-sapphire eyes and smiled.  
  
"I really don't know, love." He said smiling at her. Jack heard Roberts maniacal laughter as he reached the amulet. Roberts reached the amulet and it was now his. The island began to shake as though an earthquake was taking place. Jack helped Jaden to her feet. "Time to go!" Jack yelled as they ran back to the entrance of the cave, grabbing Megan on the way out as she continued to cry, but ran all the same. They were out of breath as they saw Roberts running quite a few yards behind them. Boulders dropped from the top of the cave and claimed Roberts. The amulet peeked out in his palm and glistened. Jack was tempted to turn around and grab it, but he wouldn't have time to make it out of the cave then.  
  
"Jack! What about Roberts?" Jaden yelled. Jack replied "He's dead! The amulet protects you from fighting things like if you're stabbed nothing will happen. But, Roberts was crushed! And the amulet doesn't help if you're not wearing it, savvy?!" He yelled back.  
  
Mr. Gibbs and the rest of the crew looked at the corpses that had fallen on the ground not too long ago. Katherine and Jacinda pulled the ship up onto the sand of the island and lowered ropes to get the crew onto it a few people at a time. Suddenly, they were all on board, but something wasn't right. Shavai and Will were nowhere to be found. Jaden rushed to the side of the ship looking for Shavai. Her friend was nowhere to be seen.  
  
"Shavai! Shavai!" Silence on the island was the only answer. The sun had begun to set and gave the island a mysterious sky blue glow to it. "Where are you?" Jaden yelled searching with her eyes frantically. Mr. Gibbs walked up behind her.  
  
"There were two of them, ya see missy. One infront, one behind. They had 'er cornered with no way to get away and they ran 'er through. I'm sorry, miss."  
  
Jaden screamed as she crumpled onto her knees on the floor. A look of sadness ran over the faces and washed through the very souls of the weary crew. Shavai was gone. Megan got to her knees and held onto Jaden and they hugged each other, and Jack joined in. Just then, as if the day hadn't been weird enough, it began to get very cold and some snow flakes started to fall from the clear sky where the stars seemed to show themselves brighter than the moon itself. And as they all looked up, they thought they could see Shavai's smile.  
  
Shavai looked up at the last circle of light on the water as she sank in the ocean of Death as the island she rested upon sank. There was no where else to go. She couldn't bear waiting on the dock for Jaden and Megan and watching them have happy lives for all of Eternity. It would pain her too much, and she couldn't bear waiting so long for all of them, especially Will. Pain coursed through Shavai's cold body as she thought of Will. She coughed, leaving a red cloud floating in the water.  
  
Shavai's mouth filled with the bitter sea water as she closed her eyes. All she could do was breathe in water and let the never-ending sea engulf her lifeless body.  
  
Suddenly, someone, or something, grabbed Shavai by the wrist. Shavai's eyes shot open as she was dragged out of the water and onto a lifeboat. She sputtered and coughed up water as she looked into a familiar pair of gray eyes. Standing up, she looked at the grey eyed person. She had lightly tanned skin, and micro braided hair just like Shavai. The strangely familiar woman embraced Shavai, kissing her on the cheek. Then the woman turned Shavai around, and shoved her towards a growing light.  
  
Shavai held out her hand, and felt the warmth of Life on her palm. The light grew brighter, and began to seep over her arm, and over her body. As the light enveloped over the last of Shavai's body, she turned around to look at the woman. She was waving, and mouthed, "I love you" before Shavai vanished from Death. She blinked and saw the woman's figure and face had disappeared and all she saw was Will, crying pitifully. She reached out and touched his shoulder as light as a feather.  
  
He lifted his head from his arms and shot up and hugged her, making the boat beneath their feet rock. Will breathed in her hair. She smelled like a fresh rose and he never wanted to let her go again. He had lost her once and couldn't bear it again. "If this is a dream, please don't let me wake up. If you're a ghost, please don't leave me." Shavai smiled as she hugged him back. She was completely soaking and the air was extremely cold and small flakes came down. They were in the Caribbean. How could it possibly snow out here? Shavai wrapped her arms tightly around Will's neck and closed her eyes as she mouthed silently "Thank you, momma."  
  
Megan and Jaden and the rest of the crew tried desperately to get over today's events by crawling into bottles upon bottles of rum. Jaden and Jack hugged each other and danced as the snow flakes fell upon them, and yet, it wasn't cold. Megan stayed to the side of the ship over-looking the water as she saw a small lifeboat drift slowly in the water towards them. Megan couldn't believe her eyes as tears gathered and blurred her vision. She screamed with joy "Shavai!" She set her rum down quickly and grabbed a rope and sent it over board as they pulled Will and Shavai aboard. Everyone gathered near them as Jaden walked in complete disbelief towards Shavai. Suddenly she grabbed hold of her and hugged her and they both cried. Jaden wanted to know how Shavai could possibly be alive after being hurt so badly, but at this point, she didn't care. Megan and Jaden gathered around Shavai and hugged her and started crying together.  
  
Jack came over and hugged Will. Will stared blankly at him as Jack hugged him. He slowly rose one hand and padded Jack on the shoulder. Jack realized what he was doing and stepped quickly back from Will shaking his hand. "Good to see you again, Mate." Jack said. Will and Jack looked over as Jaden, Shavai, and Megan all stood huddled together hugging. "I guess you've finally found someone, Jack." Will said as he glanced over at Jaden.  
  
"Don't think you're out of this either. You've fallen for a certain young lady of your own," Jack said motioning to Shavai. Shavai snorted as she laughed and Jack shook his head. "Though I can't imagine what you see in her." As he put one arm on Will's shoulder. Will stared at Shavai as though he was studying her.  
  
"I see everything." Jack looked at Will's blank smiling face and then back at Shavai's, then back at Will's.  
  
"Come again?" Jack said.  
  
"I see my past, my reflection, and my future in her eyes. Her body's graceful movements in how she walks and runs remind me of how fragile and yet, unbelievably strong she is. The way her hair dances shows me her spirit and how it will move with mine as long as I don't force her to, and how she will always be wild at heart. I see everything she is, every meaning behind everything she does, and everything I've been missing my entire life and without her I'm nothing."  
  
Jack wiped a tear away from his eyes. He felt like Will had ripped the words he had been trying to think of this whole time. Will looked over at Jack as Jack sniffled. "Go propose you hopeless, pansy." Jack said as he looked over at Will and silently wished him luck. Jack took a ring from his pocket and gave it to Will. Will didn't dare ask from where he got it.  
  
Shavai chugged away as Megan patched Shavai's wound up. "I thought you said you were never going to drink again." Jaden said as she watched Shavai drink mercilessly from the half empty bottle. "Since when have I ever been a woman of my word?" Megan swiftly took her bottle of rum and poured some onto Shavai's cut. Shavai clenched her teeth. "Since now." Will said as he got on one knee and put the ring on Shavai's finger. Jaden and Megan gasped. "Shavai Hopkins, will you marry me?" Shavai fell over. Megan sighed and helped her up. Shavai was speechless for once. Jaden smiled and walked over to Jack.  
  
Everybody rose their glasses "To the new couple" They all toasted with their bottles. Jack seemed to be depressed. He lost the one thing he wasted a few months of his life on now and had nothing to show for it. "What's the matter, Jack?" She asked softly. Jack shook his head. "I really wanted that amulet, Jaden. Can you possibly imagine all the things that could've gone right for us?" Jaden sighed. "Jack, I think whoever is in charge of this whole life we live didn't want you to have it." Jack looked questioningly at her logic. "I think we're only given so many years to be alive and we only get a few good years, and these are them." Jack held her hand and pulled her in for a kiss. "I know." He said under his breath. Jaden's speech had gotten the attention of the entire crew. Once again they all raised their glasses "To a few good years!" They all said and Mr. Gibbs stole another kiss from Jacinda and she slapped him quite a few times.  
  
"That's it! Next time we go somewhere, I get to choose where we go and who goes with us!" She yelled. Everyone snickered at her.  
  
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&  
  
A few days later, they found themselves pulling into the harbor they had left only a week earlier. Everyone got off and scattered.  
  
Megan looked out onto the quiet sea and listened carefully as though it beckoned her to reside in it once more. She sighed. She put a hand to on her cheek where Brandon touched her face just a few days earlier. She waited her whole life for the man of her dreams and just when it seemed they would never be together again, they were. Just for a second, no matter how brief. It didn't matter to her; she would've traded her life, to have him back.  
  
She stood with her bare feet in the sand, wishing to have him back. She finally gave up. Wishes never came true before, so why did she expect them too now? She turned her back and made her way to the light that seemed to burn brighter than any other at the time that lit up the door to the tiny pub. Suddenly someone called her name. She turned around and saw nothing. She began to walk again and heard the same voice. But it was impossible. Brandon was dead, there's no coming back from that. And knowing that, she turned her back and made her way to the pub where her friends were waiting. She breathed a heavy sigh and tried to delay the walk as much as possible. But still she walked straight ahead, never looking back once. And all at once, someone grabbed her by her waist and whispered "I'll never leave you again."  
  
She turned her head and kissed Brandon and suddenly everything fell into place as she hugged him tightly, afraid that if she let go, she'd fall. She smiled and cried at the same time as her joy was overpowering. She ran with him back to the pub and Shavai, Jaden and Shavai all gave their tearful hello's.  
  
But that didn't keep problems away.  
  
There was no money they had left. Jack, Jaden, Megan, Shavai and Will went into a bar. Will and Jack sat at one table to discuss man things, while the girls sat at the bar drinking rum. Shavai stared into the bottom of her mug and seemed to have gotten lost in it. Megan and Jaden looked at her. "What's the matter?" Megan asked. "We've got our lives." Megan added to defend her case.  
  
"Yeah, and we've got each other!" Jaden added. Shavai continued to stare straight ahead "Yeah... and we're broke." She added as she took another gulp from her mug. She questioned whether or not she should return her tribe, where she would have all their treasure at her disposal, but, she could never leave. She could not be married to someone who was not of their tribe.  
  
Over the next few days, things changed drastically.  
  
Megan and Brandon went back to her village to find what remained of her past and see if anything survived. No one had, but she did manage to find an old rag doll her mother had given her as a child. Those times were long gone, but at least she found something to remember things by.  
  
Jacinda drank alot....and that's about it. One night, she managed to drink her own bodyweight in rum and woke up with the worst headache in her life.  
  
Katherine stayed with Jacinda and made her manage her drinking. She once got Jacinda down to two drinks a day... IT DIDN'T WORK.  
  
Jaden stayed back in the port and worked by herself collecting from the wealthy and gave herself a Robin hood-type profile to the public and lived completely alone in an abandoned shop that she redid herself in gypsy symbols and bright colors that gave it a warm glow in the night.  
  
Jack and Will went off on the seas and made themselves new personalities. Will became a ruthless cutthroat pirate, and in Jack's own opinion, stayed "the sexiest pirate on the seven seas." But he didn't take Jaden with him and Will let Shavai go her own way.  
  
Shavai went to her tribe in South America, where she took over the tribe's leadership and had full usage of all their resources and wealth.  
  
Slowly but surely, they all broke up and lost touch. The pirates that had gone on the adventure of a lifetime, actually one that comes along once every thousand years. They had all disbanded and left each other's lives.  
  
Everyone stayed away for 14 days.  
  
Shavai realized what a mistake it was without Will in her life. Her people felt a debt of honor to her mother, so they built Shavai a massive ship of her own and let her on her way-making her cousin their new leader. Shavai's friend died of a disease, and found herself caring for a boy and a girl who were 9 years old, overnight. She took them and went back to find Jaden.  
  
Will and Jack also realized the mistake they had made and wasted no time in going back to correct it. Will married Shavai, and Jack married Jaden.  
  
Brandon and Megan also tied the knot and came back to join the happy reunion.  
  
Jacinda and Katherine met up with an old friend named Mina and tortured Jack with their stupidity and endless laughing and parties.  
  
Mr. Gibbs never did lose his crush on Jacinda and went out with her. Quite a few times.  
  
And the whole crew was back. Settling only for a little while until they felt the need to look for a new place of where ever the wind saw fit to send them. And it remained this way for many years. And they had many more adventures that extended their few good years to be alive.  
  
But that's another story, entirely.  
  
THE END.  
  
Author's Note: Well, what can I say? That's the end. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Here's my thank you list:  
  
Shavai, Megan, Elizabeth: Without you guys, this would've never existed most likely. Thanks for the inspirations for the charactors and such. I hope I got it where you liked it. Our friendships more than likely will never end.  
  
People who originally made Pirates of the Carribbean: Thanks for giving me the biggest inspiration of all. lol  
  
Um... My lil sis Darcie and her friend Katie: YOu'RE IN THERE! HAPPY NOW?!  
  
Um... no thanks to the people who didn't review.  
  
Anyone else who reviewed: thanks!  
  
Most important thing of all to remember:  
  
D.F.L.L.  
  
D. ream an adventure  
  
F. ind an escape  
  
L. ove for a lifetime  
  
L. ive forever.  
  
Ya'll can go home now... BOOGAH BOOGAH!  
  
OK.... I'm done...you can go now....  
  
BOOGAH!  
  
Ah.. forget it. 


End file.
